Dundee woman convicted of burning young child’s leg with an iron

A Dundee woman has been convicted of burning a young child’s leg with a hot iron.

Coral Chalmers wept as a jury found her guilty by a majority verdict of harming the child between November 28 and 30 2019.

The 22-year-old was convicted of causing the boy to suffer injury at an address in Dundee by burning his leg with an iron between November 28 and 30 2019.

She had faced a charge that “severe” injury was caused but was convicted of the lesser charge on Monday.

Chalmers, of Ballindean Road, claimed the child had burned himself on a cooker as she juggled holding him with reaching for a cupboard.

She claimed the child did not make a noise and no mark was visible until the next day.

Doctors, however, were suspicious about Chalmers’ version of events, with paediatric experts ruling the child’s injury was “non-accidental” and would have left an immediate mark.

Reports have now been ordered on Chalmers, who has previous convictions, ahead of sentencing next month.

Her bail order was allowed to continue.

Solicitor Douglas Thomson, for Chalmers, said: “While the accused has offended, there is nothing analogous.

“Clearly the jury’s verdict is not in accordance with what my client said.”

Jurors heard how Chalmers claimed she did not notice the triangular-shaped wound on the child’s thigh until the next morning.

She told doctors that the boy was suffering from a cold but he showed no symptoms after being referred to Ninewells Hospital.

During her evidence, Chalmers said she felt “horrible” about his injury but denied using the iron at any point or deliberately injuring the child.

She told the court the child quickly held onto her after burning himself on the cooker but later sat on the couch watching cartoons.

Sentence deferred

Paediatric expert Dr Jenny Fraser concluded the shape of the injury would have most likely have been caused by the iron that was found at the scene.

She said: “Contact would only need to be less than a second for a burn to occur.

“If it was an accidental burn it would not be symmetrical.

“Overall this injury to the thigh is consistent with an inflicted burn with a household iron.”

Prosecutor Stewart Duncan asked Chalmers why she did not see any mark on the child when doctors concluded the injury would result in immediate marking.

She replied: “There was no mark when I checked them over. It’s true. I know what happened.”

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence on Chalmers until next month for social work reports to be obtained.