Woman who attacked baby boy so violently he had injuries 'like a car crash' handed jail term

A woman who attacked a one-month-old baby so violently that the newborn was left with injuries doctors said were like those from a serious car crash has been jailed for three years.

Shaazia Arshad, 26, who inflicted nearly 30 separate injuries on the baby boy, wept in the dock as she was told by a sheriff that though he felt her remorse was genuine, he would be failing in his duty if he did not send her to jail.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard that the baby had been born healthy, and had no conditions that might have made his bones brittle.

A health visitor who checked him when he was three weeks old reported him well, calm when handled, and he had no visible injuries when a naked weight check was carried out.

On May 22 2023, Arshad’s partner got up for work, When he returned from a shower, the baby was crying and his left eyelid was swollen.

While he was at work, Arshad rang him to say the baby’s “leg didn’t look right”. He drove home and noticed the baby’s leg was badly swollen from his knee to his ankle, and was rock-hard and red.

He took the baby straight to the GP, where a doctor noticed the baby let out a “horrible” cry the instant he was taken out of his car seat and examined.

The baby was taken to hospital where he was assessed by paediatricians, X-rayed and scanned.

Prosecutor Alistair McDermid said “multiple skeletal surveys” revealed that injuries “that had been inflicted” on him included a haemorrhaged and bruised eyelid, likely inflicted by blunt force trauma, 19 broken ribs, a broken right arm, two broken thighs, and tibia and fibula fractures on both legs.

Mr McDermid said: “Injuries of this type are those that would usually be expected in a significant road traffic collision.

“They would have caused this baby substantial pain.”

The court heard that throughout the baby’s time in hospital, various medical professionals attempted to obtain a history of events but Arshad was unable to explain how the baby came by his injuries.

The baby is said to have made a full recovery.

Arshad was arrested and failed to explain to police how the baby had been hurt, even when police put to her that her “lack of knowledge was impossible”.

The incidents happened at an address in Bo’ness, West Lothian.

On Wednesday, Arshad appeared for sentence after pleading guilty last month to assaulting the baby – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – to his severe injury.

John McBride, defending, said: “She accepts this is a very serious matter.”

Sheriff Keith O’Mahony told Arshad she had inflicted “significant” injuries.

He said: “This has had a significant impact on your family. It’s a tragic situation and I think your remorse is genuine [but] I’d be failing in my duty if I didn’t sentence you to a custodial sentence.”