Mother jailed for killing baby with hairdryer heat
A mother was sentenced to six years in prison for killing her three-month-old daughter by applying heat from a hairdryer.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Courtney Gartshore, a 28-year-old mother from Peterhead, has been jailed for six years for killing her three-month-old daughter, Dahlia Rose Gartshore, by applying heat from a hairdryer. The baby died in September 2023 after suffering burns to her head, body and neck. A jury in Aberdeen convicted Gartshore of culpable homicide last month, and today she was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The court heard that Gartshore had been drinking that night and returned to her flat around 4am. By the next day, Dahlia Rose was dead. A hairdryer was found plugged in next to the bed. The judge said the baby's pain and suffering should have been obvious to her mother, who had tried to cover up her involvement afterwards. Gartshore claims she does not remember using the hairdryer. Her defence lawyer speculated that she may have been trying to warm the baby up because she was cold.
Appearing by video link, Gartshore sobbed as the judge told her she was guilty of a gross breach of the most basic duty of any parent to keep their child safe. The judge described the case as uniquely disturbing and distressing, but noted that the evidence suggested Gartshore loved her daughter and would have to live with the knowledge of her responsibility.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel Welsh suffered 21 broken bones before collapsing with a head injury; her mother delayed calling 999 and Googled symptoms; Simpson was found guilty of sexual abuse, Walker was cleared of that charge. | · | |||
| Isabel's mother went upstairs after a drink and drugs binge, leaving her alone with Harrison Simpson. | · | |||
| A 35-year-old man was charged with the death. | · | · | ||
| Christopher Wright was jailed for a minimum of 35 years for murder. | · | · | ||
| The judge said the abuse was sadistic and that Isabel was in obvious pain and distress. | · | · | ||
| Courtney Gartshore received a six-year prison sentence for culpable homicide. | · | · | · | |
| Police had been seeking Harrison Simpson for 18 months before he killed Isabel Welsh. | · | · | · | |
| The baby sustained burns to her head, body and neck caused by a hairdryer. | · | · | · | |
| The body was found in a concrete-filled barrel inside a trailer on a farm near Barnsley. | · | · | · | |
| The defence suggested the hairdryer was used to warm the baby because she was cold. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel provided a straightforward court report focusing on the sentencing, the details of the baby's death, and the judge's remarks. It included the defence's speculation about the mother's possible motive and her emotional reaction in court. No other angles or context were added.
- “A mother who killed her three-month-old daughter with heat from a hairdryer has been jailed for six years.”
- “The judge said the baby's pain and suffering should have been obvious to her mother, who he said had tried to cover up her involvement afterwards.”
- “Appearing by video link, Courtney Gartshore sobbed and wiped away tears as the judge told her she was guilty of a gross breach of the most basic duty of any parent to keep their child safe.”
Broadcast Timeline
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