Man dumped children in cold baths

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/7897422.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A 30-year-old man who dumped children in a freezing cold bath if they ate their food too slowly has narrowly avoided being sent to jail.

Mark Rothwell, from Perth, was given 240 hours community service after he admitted being cruel to the children.

The youngsters were aged five, eight and 10 when the offences were committed between April and May last year.

The court was told Rothwell accepted his behaviour could have left them with long term mental health problems.

'Completely misguided'

Fiscal depute Stuart Richardson told Perth Sheriff Court: "He told the children to eat their food as quickly as possible and whoever managed to finish first would get a warm and pleasant bath.

"It was not just a case then of letting the bath cool down, but he was pouring in more and more cold water, until the final child would effectively be placed in a bath of cold water."

Solicitor Cheryl Clark, defending, said her client felt that he had already been "punished" because he was no longer allowed to see the children and it had been "a wake-up call" about his general behaviour.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: "It is accepted that there was no sexual element in respect of this matter. Quite what the reason behind it was I don't know.

"Whatever the thinking was it was completely misguided, particularly when you take into account the ages of the children.

"Further, there was a complete breach of trust on your part. In practical terms you were there to look after and protect the children, rather than act in the manner you did.

"I am persuaded, just, that this is a matter which can be dealt with by way of the direct alternative to custody."