Josh Coates, 25, a former holiday park worker, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for the attempted murder of a four-month-old baby he violently shook in Arbroath, Angus, in August 2023. The attack left the infant with severe, life-altering brain injuries. The High Court in Glasgow heard the details of the abuse and the betrayal of trust involved.
Brutal Attack Unfolded
Coates, who had known anger management issues, was supposed to be supervised while caring for the baby. Professionals had explicitly arranged that he should never be left alone with her. Yet Coates was left on his own overnight, which tragically led to the violent assault.
Judge Condemns Actions
Lord Young characterised Coates’s behaviour as a “significant breach of trust.” He highlighted inconsistencies in Coates’s accounts, including attempts to blame another person. The judge said that Coates’s erratic evidence left even his own defence counsel accepting responsibility for the injuries.
Shocking Neglect After Attack
After the baby became unresponsive, Coates sent alarming messages to the mother and her companion but did not seek immediate medical help. Paramedics were only called hours later when the baby’s grandmother arrived — a delay described as indefensible by prosecutors.
Childs Ongoing Battle
Medical evidence presented at trial confirmed the baby suffered abusive head trauma, bleeding on the brain, multiple bruises, and healing fractures. She now faces lifelong disabilities, including partial blindness and cerebral palsy, but is showing signs of remarkable progress.
Defendants Denials And Admission
Coates initially lied repeatedly, claiming accidental falls caused the injuries. He admitted to police he had told “a pack of lies” and claimed he feared the baby’s mother. His defence counsel said Coates accepts responsibility now, but regrets he did not do so sooner.
