Adobe StockA convicted criminal hit a three-month-old baby across the head in a murder bid while the child’s mother slept.
Ethan Gwynne left the baby with life-changing injuries following the attack last March.
The 25-year-old had offered to supposedly look after the child while the baby’s mum went to sleep.
Gwynne admitted to the crime – via his lawyer Shahid Latif – as he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.
It emerged he already had a number of convictions for violence as well as racist abuse.
The former warehouse worker will be sentenced next month.
The baby had no sign of any injuries in the lead-up to the assault.
The court heard how a 999 call was made around 4.30pm on March 11, 2025.
Paramedics arrived at the house in South Lanarkshire and found Gwynne holding the child.
The baby’s mum was also there at that time.
Prosecutor Nicola Gilchrist stated the boy was deemed “critically unwell”. He was pale, cold and also had breathing issues.
Gwynne was described as “stressed and crying”.
The baby was rushed in an ambulance to hospital. The victim was found to have skull fractures and a brain bleed.
He also had a “healing” injury to his upper arm.
One senior doctor concluded the baby had suffered “abusive head trauma”.
Police were alerted by medics, and the mum told officers that the baby had been crying that day.
Gwynne was at the house, and he took the boy and put him in his crib.
The woman went to sleep, and Gwynne sat with her to “listen out” for the child.
Ms Gilchrist said: “The next thing she remembers is Gwynne waking her in a state of panic.
“She went through to the bedroom and saw the boy lying on the bed on his back.
“It appeared to her that Gwynne had been changing his nappy.
“The baby was pale, unresponsive and floppy. She told Gwynne to phone an ambulance.
“Gwynne also performed CPR on him.”
Days later, Gwynne then told his own grandfather that he had “hit” the baby on the head, but “did not know why he had done it”.
He said he would hand himself in to the police.
Gwynne, of Lanark, went on to state to the baby’s mum that he was “sorry” for what happened.
Ms Gilchrist told the court how the child remains badly affected.
He had remained in intensive care for three weeks and was then found to have made “some developmental progress”.
But, Ms Gilchrist added: “Although it is not easy to be clear about the level of difficulty he will have with his movements long-term, he is likely to have a significant impact on his mobility.”
He may also have serious issues with his ability to learn.
The advocate depute said: “The boy is likely to have long-term consequences of the traumatic brain injury.
“It is possible that he will have such significant degree of neuro-disability that it would be life-limiting.”
Gwynne appeared to cry and dab his eyes as Ms Gilchrist narrated the circumstances of the case.
Lord Renucci remanded him in custody as sentencing was adjourned until next month in Dundee.
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