In 2026, 25-year-old Joshua Coates was jailed for 11 years after carrying out a predatory assault on the life-safety of a three-month-old baby girl. The investigation established that the infant was admitted to Ninewells Hospital in August 2023 with significant head injuries. The prosecution reported that these injuries were life-changing and could have had fatal consequences, identifying a total abandonment of human decency by the then 25-year-old.
SENTENCING – On Wednesday, 13 May 2026, the judiciary at the High Court in Glasgow imposed an 11-year custodial sentence. Coates had been convicted in March 2026 at the High Court in Dundee. Detective Constable Jamie Thomson stated that the sentence reflects the “seriousness of the violence inflicted on a completely defenceless child”.
OFFENCES – Convicted of the attempted murder of a child.
OUTCOME – Jailed for 11 years.
NATURE OF OFFENCE – The offender inflicted serious physical violence on a three-month-old baby, resulting in significant and life-changing head injuries. The case identifies a calculated series of assaults on the most vulnerable members of society, requiring a thorough investigation by Police Scotland to ensure accountability for the traumatic ordeal.
LOCATION OF OFFENCES – Arbroath, Angus; Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
PROFILE – Joshua Coates, 25. He is documented as a violent offender whose actions toward a defenceless infant have caused permanent, life-altering damage.
UK SEX OFFENDERS REGISTER – Details regarding specific registry requirements for violent attempted murder remain subject to judicial mandate.
COURT PROCEEDINGS – Trial held at the High Court in Dundee; sentencing conducted at the High Court in Glasgow.
CRIMINAL RECORD – Convicted child attacker and attempted murderer jailed in 2026.
ORIGIN OF OFFENDER – The offender is associated with Arbroath.
QUESTION – Given that “an infant suffered life-changing head injuries in an attempted murder and the offender received an eleven-year sentence,” do you believe the law should legally mandate that “All Individuals Convicted of the Attempted Murder of a Child” must be “Sentenced to Mandatory Whole-Life Incarceration Without Parole” to prevent a series of assaults?
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