A woman who gave a toddler electric shocks using a dog training collar as punishment for not eating his food was today jailed for three years and four months.
Former soldier Lanna Monaghan also subjected the young boy, during a 15-month ordeal, to cold showers, she also bit and kicked him – and hit him so hard with a wooden spoon that it broke.
Monaghan, 34, formerly of Fort Augustus, claimed to social workers that she had been pressurised by her mother to use the dog training device.
But this suggestion was not accepted by the Crown
Today at the High Court in Glasgow judge Lady Rae told Monaghan, who sat in the dock weeping: “You have pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences over a 15-month period involving a young child who was aged two to three.
“He did not suffer lasting physical effects, but it is impossible to determine what the emotional impact on this little boy will be.”
Lady Rae told Monaghan, who is pregnant, that she did not believe the attacks were because of her losing her temper and added: “These were deliberate attacks on the child and appeared to be punishment for not eating his food or urinating on the floor.”
Referring to the dog training device the judge said: “I can’t see how any right-minded person would use such an instrument on a dog, never mind a child. I can’t believe you were encouraged to do this by a family member especially when it was that family member who reported you to the authorities.
“This defenceless little boy must have been terrified of you. You must have known what you did was wrong. Your victim was utterly unable to defend himself.”
The court heard that Monaghan had seen the electric training collar being used on a dog and told the pet owner: “If it works on a dog it will work on kids.”
The abuse ended when the boy was aged three after her mother contacted the authorities.
Monaghan admitted five charges of assaulting the boy at addresses in the Highlands in 2014 and last year.
She admitted repeatedly fixing a dog collar with an electric shock device attached around his neck and inflicting shocks on him in July last year.
Monaghan, who was private hire car employee also admitted forcibly placing him in a shower and turning it on and off while kicking the boy on the body.
Monaghan, who served in the Army for nine years, also admitted biting him on the ear and repeatedly striking him with a wooden spoon.
She had initially denied to the authorities to giving the toddler electric shocks with the dog training collar, the court heard.
But she later claimed that she had picked up the device during a visit to another woman’s home.
She gave three shocks in quick succession to the boy’s neck because he had refused to swallow a mouthful of food.
Monaghan told police: “I am truly sorry for what happened, I can’t believe it happened.”
She claimed the child “pushes my buttons, spitting on me, peeing on the floor and being sick on the floor”.
She admitted that at times she would be crouched down to the child’s eye level, shouting and swearing aggressively at him when he wet himself and cried.
Advocate depute Jane Farquharson, prosecuting, said: “She did not appear to recognise the possibility that the child was reacting involuntarily and through fear.”
Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci told the court that Monaghan has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Mr Renucci added: “She said she felt pressurised, but accepts she had a decision to make. She could have made a decision not to act in the way she did.
“She has expressed genuine remorse and regret at her actions, not only for herself, but also the impact it has had on the child.She gets very emotional about that.”
The court was told that, but for her early plea of guilty, Monaghan would have been jailed for five years.