A man who violently shook a baby leaving her with a car crash-like brain injury has been jailed.
Josh Coates attacked the four-month-old girl with devastating consequences when he was left alone with her in August 2023, despite a child protection plan requiring he’s not on his own with the infant.
The 25-year-old, who has self-confessed anger issues, lost control while supposedly caring for the child in Arbroath, Angus.
He was sentenced to 11 years at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday after his conviction of attempted murder in March.
Judge Lord Young said Coates had gone from blaming others to accepting responsibility. He added: ‘Your evidence was so inconsistent and confusing that your own defence counsel had to accept in his speech to the jury that your actions caused injury to the baby.’
Jurors at the trial in Dundee heard Coates was left alone with the baby overnight, flouting the orders professionals had put in place.
Josh Coates, aged 25, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday
He initially messaged the girl’s mother on Facebook demanding she come home.
Coates then got in contact with a man she was with, raising concerns about the baby stating: ‘She is still breathing, but I do not know what the f*** is wrong with her. It is scary.’
The mother came home, but neither she nor Coates immediately sought medical help. An ambulance was only called hours later when the baby’s grandmother turned up.
Officers attended Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee, after the girl was admitted.
Jurors heard the child has been left with permanent brain damage, partial blindness and cerebral palsy in all limbs but is making ‘remarkable’ progress.
Following sentencing, Detective Constable Jamie Thomson said: ‘Our thoughts remain with child and her family.’