A newborn baby boy was left with three broken ribs and a broken leg after an Alyth man threw him during an argument, a court has heard.
Michael Lawrence was jailed for 10 months at Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday for causing severe injury to the child.
Lawrence had been caring for the child as his mother was in poor health at the time and became frustrated when he was unable to feed the baby or get his legs into clothing.
At an earlier hearing, Lawrence had admitted culpably and recklessly forcing a feeding bottle into the baby’s mouth and forcing his legs into clothing on dates between the child’s birth in September 2011 and November 21 that year.
The 23-year-old, of the town’s High Street, further admitted throwing the baby on to a bed and striking the tot’s body with his own.
The court heard how he has also punched a woman between the same dates. Depute fiscal Stuart Richardson told the court the child’s injuries were discovered after he was taken to the doctor after becoming unwell.
He said subsequent medical examinations at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, revealed the baby had bruising to the underside of his tongue, three broken ribs that were beginning to heal and a broken leg, which also showed signs of healing.
The woman later told social workers that she had been assaulted by Lawrence while he was holding the child, causing him to drop the boy on to the bed and that she feared this was the cause of the child’s injuries.
Lawrence’s solicitor, Mike Tavendale, said the injuries caused by his client were accidental and that the child’s bones were soft due to his age.
Jailing Lawrence, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “You have admitted not just causing injury, but causing him severe injury as a result of your actions.”