Scots student who broke baby's leg while trying to change nappy dodges jail

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A student who broke a baby's leg while trying to change his nappy has dodged jail. Connor Crook, 20, took hold of the four month-old boy's legs but the child kicked out and began screaming.

He later told a witness he had been 'trying to change the wean's nappy and I heard a pop'. Crook, who is studying on a spray painting course, tried to feed the baby but stopped over the distress the boy was in.

The baby, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was rushed to hospital where medics discovered a spiral fracture on his left thigh.

A doctor noted that such an injury was 'rare' for a child that age and could not be self-inflicted.Police launched an investigation but Crook insisted he had not put any pressure on the child's leg in May 2020.Crook, of Motherwell, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted culpable and reckless conduct.He was handed a 'high intensity' supervision order for two years by Sheriff John Speir and told it was a direct alternative to jail.The charge stated he mishandled the child and seized him on the body and exerted force on the boy's leg to his severe injury.Depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham said: "According to the accused, he was holding each of the boy's legs using both of his hands."His left leg broke free from the accused's grip."As the accused moved his right hand down to take hold of the boy's left ankle, the boy simultaneously kicked his left leg upwards and made contact with the accused's hand."The accused claims he didn't put any pressure on the boy's leg, however he saw his foot turn slightly to the side and heard a popping noise and the boy immediately started screaming."The accused at this point was still trying to feed the boy his bottle but the boy was