A radiologist has told Dundee Sheriff Court how a CT scan showed multiple fractures to the skull of a child who was allegedly locked in a moving tumble dryer.
Dr Sanjay Pillai, consultant radiologist at Ninewells Hospital, said a CT scan showed there were multiple fractures to the skull of the child allegedly hurt by Thomas Dunn in the January 8 incident.
One fracture, to the rear of the head, was a two centimetre depressed fracture, circular in shape.
Another one, to the side of the head, was a slight depressed fracture with multiple branches leading off it.
The medic said there was bleeding to the outside of the brain and to the outside of the skull and there were soft tissue injuries and swelling.
The clinical opinion, he said, was the injuries were “highly suspicious for non accidental injuries” and there was likely to have been “considerable force” used.
Asked by fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie what he meant by non accidental, he replied: “deliberate.”
Dr Pillai was giving evidence at the trial of Dunn, who is accused of four charges of assaulting two children, including placing one of the children in a tumble dryer.
The trial had earlier heard how Dunn allegedly told the tot’s mum how to “suffocate” a child for a few seconds to “help them sleep”.
Giving evidence, the 19-year-old single mother said Dunn had demonstrated how to do it while she was visiting him in his home.
Dunn, of Comrie Crescent, Hamilton, is accused of assaulting the baby to her severe injury and to the danger of her life between December 18 2017 and January 8 2018 at an address in Arbroath.
As well as allegedly putting her in the tumble dryer before turning the appliance on, he is said to have placed his hand over her mouth and restricted her breathing, struck her on the head and body, repeatedly struck her against an unknown object and bitten her.
Dunn is further alleged to have repeatedly assaulted another baby.
It is claimed he put his hand over the boy’s mouth and nose and pinched, restricting his breathing between April 3 2015 and January 8 2018.
The trial, before Sheriff Alastair Brown, continues.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.