Salesman hurled a 10-week-old baby boy across a bedroom as he slept in a Moses basket


A company director who hurled a 10-week-old baby across a bedroom as it slept in a Moses basket has been jailed for two years.
John Ellis, 32, downed two bottles of wine before passing out in a bedroom where the boy was asleep.
But when a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, tried to get into the bed Ellis punched her.
The woman fled but returned with her phone set to record over fears the brute could strike again.
A further argument broke out which saw Ellis repeatedly punch her before he picked up the basket and threw it with the child inside.
It landed on the bed but the force caused the youngster to fall to the floor as the woman screamed for him to stop.
As she tried to help the baby, she was punched again and fell on top of the baby who was left with bruising on the head.
Door salesman Ellis, of East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted assaulting the woman and the baby at his home in March this year.
He was jailed for two years by Sheriff Daniel Kelly QC who told him it would have been longer had he not pled guilty.
Depute fiscal Paula Russell said: “Throughout the course of the night two bottles of wine were consumed and he became intoxicated.
“He retired to bed and was later joined by the woman who made efforts to get into bed but couldn’t because of the position the accused had fallen asleep in.
“She made several attempts to move him but he remained asleep and eventually she lay on the edge of the bed at which time he sat upright and punched her once on the left eye.
“She left the bedroom but when she returned she was fearful of the accused and placed her phone on record.”
A shocking audio recording of the incident where the woman could be heard repeatedly asking him to stop hitting her before she became hysterical as the baby was thrown across the room was played in court.
Miss Russell continued: “There was some disagreement between the pair which escalated and he stood up and began to punch her repeatedly on the head.
“When he stopped he picked up the Moses basket containing the baby and threw it across the room.
“It landed on the bed but the basket tipped over and the baby fell to the floor.
“He then proceeded to punch her again as she tried to get to the baby causing her to fall on the child.
“When with police, the accused asked ‘why are you even here, it was just an argument, it was a bad argument to be fair’ and he was cautioned and charged.”
Sheriff Kelly said: “The charge you have pled guilty to is a very serious one and while there may have been a disagreement between you and her as she came to bed, it is unthinkable that this could develop and involve a 10-week-old child.
“Your actions that night took it out on him and clearly he deserves protection.