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The grandmother of a Scottish baby who was battered by an evil brute has slammed his four years prison sentence and says it ‘doesn’t feel like justice’.
Violent Mark Tannahill left the infant with broken ribs and a fractured skull after her mum died of cancer eight weeks after giving birth. The 38-year-old was jailed for four years and five months at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Friday.
Tannahill, from Crosshouse in Ayrshire, was found guilty of behaving in an abusive or threatening manner after repeatedly shouting and swearing at the baby. He was also found guilty of assault by “compressing and shaking” the girl.
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Tannahill inflicted trauma to her head and body, to severe injury and to the “danger of her life” as the baby’s 56-year-old grandmother, from Kilmaurs, said the jail sentence does not feel like justice for the tot, reports the Record.
In a statement via lawyers Digby Brown she said: “No sentence would ever be enough but four years is not quite fair. The end result is a short-term punishment for what are life-long injuries so it’s hard to see this as justice.
“We now just want to put these formalities behind us and get back to our family and look to the future. Thank you to everyone – from the police, to the fiscal and our friends and the community for your support – but we now just wish to be left in peace.”
Tannahill carried out a three month reign of terror on the helpless infant after her mum tragically died from cancer in August 2021, just eight weeks after giving birth.
The 34-year-old mum was only 30 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer – after medics found a 20cm tumour.
She was forced to deliver her miracle baby girl prematurely at 34 weeks and despite bravely fighting the aggressive cancer, sadly died eight weeks later.
At times, Tannahill was left alone with the newborn, but the grandmother knew something wasn’t right. She said she first noticed signs of abuse whilst her dying daughter was battling cancer in hospital.
She recalled disgraced Tannahill shouting ‘shut the f*** up’ at the baby girl who was crying. The grandmother then sought medical advice after noticing that bruising was starting to appear on her granddaughter.
She bravely took the injured tot into hospital where medics were instantly alarmed and alerted social work, and the baby was immediately put into her care.
She previously said: “He’s an absolute monster. He has put us through hell for two and a half years. To know my granddaughter spent her first weeks in life being tormented by that vile man makes me sick.
“The thing that has been hanging over us for three years was finally done.”
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The gran has now launched civil action against Tannahill to recover damages in an attempt to safeguard the child’s future care needs due to her ‘life-changing’ injuries.
She said: “Our daughter passing away and the reality of me not knowing how long I have left means we need to give real consideration to my grandchild’s future care needs.
“My grand-daughter has been robbed of her mother and now she has been robbed of her own future.
“A civil action is the only route open to us to ensure her ongoing care needs are met.
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Sentencing Tannahill on Friday, Sheriff Bissett said the sick thug had failed to take any responsibility and attempted to blame members of the baby’s family for her injuries.
He added: “Not only have you refused to take any responsibility for your actions in severely injuring *****, even worse from the beginning you have sought to cast suspicion upon other members of her family.
“There is next to nothing which can be said in your favour, given the nature of the offence for which the jury convicted you and the attitude of complete denial that you have maintained from the outset of this case.”
