Babysitter, 34, who attempted to murder a five-month-old boy is jailed

A babysitter is behind bars after attempting to murder a five-month-old boy in a shaking attack and blaming the child's mother for the crime.

Kimberly Dow inflicted potentially life-threatening injuries on the baby she was supposed to be looking after.

The 34-year-old, of Dunfermline, denied a charge of attempted murder during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh and lodged a special defence of incrimination, naming the boy's mother.

Dow was found guilty of assaulting the child on March 17, 2022, by shaking him, inflicting trauma to his head and causing injury to his head by means unknown to his severe injury and danger of life and attempting to murder him at her home.

Advocate depute Michelle Brannagan told jurors: 'There is only evidence of one single occasion when he suffered injury and that was when he was in Dow's care.'

When the baby was taken to hospital after the attack, significant haemorrhaging was found around his brain.

The mother of the child said had no issues or concerns after Dow previously looked after the child when she and her mother contracted Covid.

She said: 'He came back his normal, wee self - happy and content.'

She added that on this occasion Dow phoned her and asked if she could take him for the night and she claimed she tried and failed to make contact with Dow. Later she then heard that he fell off a couch.

Dow had been on bail but was remanded in custody by trial judge Lady Ross after the verdict. Sentence was deferred for the preparation of a background report.

The trial judge, Lady Ross, said: 'I am satisfied given the seriousness of the offence and the expectation of a custodial sentence that the appropriate course is to revoke bail and remand her in custody.'