Man guilty of breaking baby's arm

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A man who broke a baby's arm after it accidentally scratched him during a feed has been found guilty of assault and causing severe injury.

Stuart Mitchell, 24, admitted breaking the three-week-old's arm at a house in Lanarkshire two years ago, but he claimed it was accidental.

But a jury at Airdrie Sheriff court found him guilty of assault.

Sentence on Mitchell was deferred until next month for background reports. He was released on bail.

Mitchell, who is a chef at a top Glasgow hotel, had seized hold of the child's left arm and twisted it to severe injury causing a spiral displaced fracture.

He knew he had broken the child's arm and deliberately left the baby to suffer Bernie McLaughlinProsecuting The 22-day-old infant, referred to as Baby D, weighed just under 10lbs at the time of the attack.

The child was left suffering for three hours before the mother was alerted to the injury and a further two hours before an ambulance arrived, the court heard.

Bernie McLaughlin, prosecuting, said: "He knew he had broken the child's arm and deliberately left the baby to suffer, allowing the family to poke and prod at his arm knowing it could be broken."

The attack happened at a house in Cumbernauld, on 16 December, 2006, after Mitchell, from Cranhill, Glasgow, had been left in charge of the baby's feed.

The child's mother only had her baby returned to her four months later in April 2007, although he was still on the child protection register.

Defence counsel Joe Cahill said: "The baby scratched him and he made a reaction. He knew something was wrong and accepts that."

Sheriff Alfred Vannet said: "This is a most serious offence you have been convicted of, but I must get reports, including a risk assessment to ascertain the danger you pose to children."