A “loving and caring mother” who shook an eight month baby she was looking after in a catastrophic loss of control was jailed for three years today.
Syeda Begum, who was dressed all in black, broke down and began sobbing in the dock as a judge told her he was sending her to prison.
First offender Begum – who has maintained her innocence throughout – was earlier convicted of assaulting the little girl to her severe injury and the danger of her life by shaking her by the body.
The attack occurred in the 29-year-old’s former home in Aberdeen on January 1, 2017.
A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told her: “As a result of the assault, the child became floppy, had difficulty breathing and had a Glasgow coma score of only three – the lowest possible score.”
Lord Uist said that a report prepared by doctors involved in the attack victim’s care said that when she arrived at hospital she was in “a critically ill state”.
The baby was found to be unconscious, cold and had poor respiration. She was also discovered to have sustained haemorrhages to her brain and eyes.
Lord Uist said: “In my judgement the evidence indicated she could have died had it not been for the excellent treatment she received from the paramedics who attended the scene and the doctors and nurses at the Royal Aberdeen Childrens Hospital.”
The judge said that, fortunately, it appeared that the child victim of the attack by Begum has made a good recovery bu added that he considered there was no alternative to a custodial sentence.