A nursery worker accused of smacking a baby boy repeatedly and leaving him in tears walked free from court on Friday.

Katherine Clark, 54, was manageress of a nursery in Stirling when it was claimed she struck the child a number of times.

Mrs Clark was said to have "skelped" the child, aged one after he pulled the hair of a baby girl at the Bright Beginnings Day Nursery. But Sheriff John Rafferty found the single charge against her was not proven.

Giving evidence during the trial at Stirling Sheriff Court, nursery nurse Jacqueline Murphy said Ms Clark struck the child on August 6, 2008.

"Mrs Clark pulled the boy's hand from the girl's hair and smacked his hand. She said no, no, no, no and smacked his hands lots of times. The smacks were loud enough to be heard. The little boy just sat down and cried and she did nothing to
comfort him."

Mrs Clark from Cumbernauld took over as manager of the nursery in February 2007 but was suspended following the alleged incident. She pleaded not guilty to assaulting the baby, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

She said the allegation against her was "totally untrue". She told her solicitor, Liam Ewing: "I have never done such a thing. It is completely unacceptable to strike a child. I am very disappointed with the suggestion that I would do that."

Giving his not proven verdict, Sheriff Raffety said: "I am not convinced this happened on the 6th of August 2008. Having heard all the evidence I am left in some doubt."