A north-east man who admitted squeezing a baby so hard he broke one of its ribs has been spared jail.
Kristoffer Duguid appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentence yesterday after previously admitting assaulting the infant on January 23 last year.
The court heard earlier that the 28-year-old, of 9 Oscar Place, Torry, Aberdeen, had been looking after the youngster while its mother was busy.
The child’s “severe” internal injuries were discovered after the mother – who cannot be named for legal reasons – became concerned about marks on its body and took it to hospital.
Doctors subsequently carried out a series of tests which revealed the infant had a fractured rib.
Duguid’s agent, solicitor Gregor Kelly, told the court he had been trying to feed the baby, which was suffering from colic, but it was “inconsolable” and had tensed up its body.
Duguid had attempted to relax its limbs and in doing so had “roughly handled” the child.
Mr Kelly told the court that since the incident Duguid had been “wracked with remorse”.
“He regrets what happened every day and the nightmare that has unravelled since,” the lawyer added.
Mr Kelly said Duguid’s employer held him in “high regard” and had even written a letter to the court on his behalf.
Mr Kelly added: “He has found it extremely difficult to come to terms with this offence but he accepts he has to deal with the consequences of his decisions and the precarious position he finds himself in.”
Sheriff William Summers told Duguid he had given serious consideration to jailing him.
He said: “It’s hard to understand the circumstances which led you to commit this offence but I’m prepared to accept the explanation which has been put forward by your solicitor.
“This incident has already had profound, if not life-changing, consequences for you.”
Sheriff Summers placed Duguid under supervision for 18 months and sentenced him to 200 hours of unpaid work, to be completed within a year.
