A man who attacked a severely disabled child and covered the boy’s face with a pillow after drinking two bottles of Buckfast tonic has been jailed for 40 months.
Jamie Collins, 36, left his 10-year-old victim with bruises from an attempted suffocation following the attack in Midlothian last May.
High Court in Edinburgh It was heard Collins carried out the attack after the child’s mother left him in the care of the child while she went out for a night out.
The alarm went off when another child discovered a pillow on the victim’s swollen face.
The young man was taken to hospital and Collins was later traced to the Fort William area in the Scottish Highlands.
Judge Lord Doherty said the child suffered multiple injuries including abrasions and bruises on the right side of his face, a swollen lip and bruising on his nose, cheekbones, buttocks, legs and around his eyes.
The judge added: “Several injuries to the face were consistent with an attempt to suffocate life.
“The child has fully recovered from his physical injuries.
“There are no clear signs of long-term emotional or psychological damage, but it is difficult to assess whether there is any damage because the child cannot speak.”
Collins was sentenced on Tuesday after admitting repeatedly punching the child on the head and body and risking his life by covering his face with a pillow and applying pressure.
Collins will also be under supervision for one year after his release from prison.
Lord Doherty described the attack as a “very serious attack on a vulnerable child”.
He added: “The consequences are likely to be much more severe than they actually are. A significant custodial sentence is warranted to reflect your culpability and the harm caused.”
Follow Sky News for all the latest news from the UK and around the world
‘Obviously this was not planned’
In an interview with police, Collins claimed he had no memory of what happened after drinking two bottles of Buckfast.
Defense lawyer Kenneth Cloggie highlighted a background report which stated his client was shocked, ashamed and remorseful.
He said: “Obviously this was not planned. It has to be acknowledged that whatever happened here he would have stopped and stopped of his own free will.”
Read more from Sky News:
Wanted fugitive arrested at Heathrow after 27 years on the run
One child dead, two injured in school shooting, suspect arrested
Lord Doherty admitted the events of the night were “out of character” and admitted Collins was “genuinely remorseful” and wanted to make amends to the child and his family.
The judge added: “I accept that for some time prior to this you had been suffering from mild to moderate depression.
“However, it appears that the main reason you became violent that night was because you drank too much.”
Follow us on Google news ,Twitter , and Join Whatsapp Group of thelocalreport.in
