In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Thomas Dunn, 25, of Arbroath, Angus, was jailed for a monstrous assault on a 13-month-old girl that included placing her in a tumble dryer and turning it on. On appearing at the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing, it was reported that the defendant had subjected the infant to life-threatening violence. The court reported that the primary assault occurred on 8 January 2018 at Dunn’s flat.
The investigation established that the toddler suffered multiple serious injuries, including skull fractures, extensive bruising, and a bite mark on her arm. Police Scotland reported that Dunn only took the child to the hospital once she became unresponsive. The prosecution reported that a jury at Dundee Sheriff Court had previously found him guilty of endangering the child’s life and culpable and reckless conduct for the earlier incident involving the tumble dryer.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Dunn had placed the girl in the tumble dryer in the presence of her mother, who heard a thud and found the child behind the closed door. Dundee Sheriff Court heard testimony that Dunn appeared to treat the incident as a joke and showed no emotion. The prosecution reported that during the later, more severe assault, Dunn struck the girl with extreme force at least twice, inflicting injuries that a Sheriff described as potentially fatal.
Sheriff Alastair Brown noted that it was only by good fortune that the child survived and that Dunn was not facing a murder charge. For his actions in Arbroath, Angus, the case was referred to the High Court because the Sheriff’s sentencing powers were deemed inadequate for such monstrous conduct. The judge noted that Dunn’s behaviour demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the life of a vulnerable 13-month-old toddler.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in Scotland, Thomas Dunn was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Seven years in prison.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh following a referral from Dundee Sheriff Court.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of endangering life and culpable and reckless conduct.
- Origin: Arbroath, Angus.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dunn is managed by the National Probation Service (Criminal Justice Social Work in Scotland) and local authorities. Due to the violent and unpredictable nature of his assaults on a toddler in Arbroath, Angus, his eventual release on licence is subject to strict conditions regarding his contact with children.
Following his conviction, authorities emphasised the extreme danger Dunn posed to minors. His history of using household appliances to torment a child and inflicting skull fractures necessitates that he remains under professional supervision for the duration of his licence period. Any breach of his conditions or further involvement in violent misconduct in Arbroath, Dundee, or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to prison to serve the remainder of his term.
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