A man who violently shook a baby, leaving her with a brain injury comparable to that sustained in a car crash, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Josh Coates, 25, attacked the four-month-old girl in August 2023 while alone with her in Arbroath, Angus, despite a child protection plan explicitly prohibiting him from being unsupervised with the infant.
Details of the Attack
Coates, who has acknowledged his anger issues, lost control while supposedly caring for the child. He was convicted of attempted murder in March 2025 at the High Court in Glasgow. Judge Lord Young noted that Coates had shifted from blaming others to accepting responsibility, but described his evidence as "so inconsistent and confusing that your own defence counsel had to accept in his speech to the jury that your actions caused injury to the baby."
Sequence of Events
Jurors at the trial in Dundee heard that Coates was left alone with the baby overnight, directly contravening professional orders. He initially messaged the girl's mother on Facebook, demanding she return home. Subsequently, he contacted the man she was with, expressing concern: "She is still breathing, but I do not know what the f*** is wrong with her. It is scary."
When the mother arrived home, neither she nor Coates sought immediate medical help. An ambulance was only called hours later, after the baby's grandmother arrived. The child was admitted to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Long-term Consequences
The jury heard that the infant has been left with permanent brain damage, partial blindness, and cerebral palsy affecting all limbs. Despite these severe injuries, she is making what doctors describe as "remarkable" progress.
Police Statement
Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Jamie Thomson said: "Our thoughts remain with the child and her family."
