Paisley babysitter jailed for causing baby brain bleed

A man who threw a 12-week-old baby in the air causing bleeding near the brain has been jailed for two years.

Charlie Boyle, 23, from Paisley, was babysitting the boy in Neilston, near Glasgow, when he tossed him up three times.

The baby was rushed to hospital after becoming floppy and unresponsive.

Medical experts told the High Court in Glasgow that the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, may have died, but for urgent medical help.

The court heard that Boyle had earlier been warned by the baby's mother about throwing the child in the air.

Boyle insisted he was just playing with the child, who he claimed was "laughing".

Boyle pled guilty to culpably and recklessly throwing the boy to his severe injury and to the danger of his life at a house in Neilston, Glasgow, on 5 June, 2017.

He was initially accused of attempting to murder the child, but halfway through the trial prosecutors accepted his plea to the reduced charge.

Judge Lord Clark told Boyle: "It should have been obvious to anyone this could cause the baby's head to flop forward or backward causing injury."

The court was told that Boyle did not say what he had done when the child was rushed to hospital.

Prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC said he told officers he was scared that he would "get blamed and get the jail".

Lord Clark added: "Very fortunately the child, who is now two, is meeting all his developmental milestones.

"I accept you have expressed remorse and I also accept you did not mean to deliberately assault the baby, however, you placed his life in danger."