A man who placed a toddler in a tumble dryer before assaulting her in a separate attack has been jailed for seven years.
Thomas Dunn, 25, inflicted serious injuries on her at an address in Arbroath, on January 8 last year.
He claimed he had only “assisted” the toddler, having seen her climbing into the machine herself.
Dunn, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, said he did not fully close the machine door on the child but the dryer had activated and started rotating.
The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sustained skull fractures. On another occasion, he struck the child on the head and body causing her severe injury.
Dunn was found guilty of a charge of culpable and reckless conduct and a charge of assault in June 2019 after a trial at Dundee Sheriff Court.
At the time, Sheriff Alistair Brown told Dunn he could only impose a five year sentence and did not consider that sufficient, instead sending him to the High Court.
Yesterday, judge Lord Brodie sentenced Dunn to seven years in prison and also ordered that he be supervised by the authorities for three years following his release from custody.
Lord Brodie told him: “You have been found guilty after trial of very serious offences against a child who had been in your care.
“As you yourself accept, there is only sentence I can impose for these offences and that is custody.”
During proceedings earlier this year, the court heard the attacks took place at an address in Arbroath over a two-week period from December 18, 2017 to January 8, 2018.
Dunn, originally of Brechin, was convicted after claiming in evidence that he tried to help the little girl climb into the washing machine.
He said he was “mucking around”.
Defence advocate Niall McCluskey told the court his client had suffered from depression and mental health problems.