Courtney Gartshore, 28, has received a six-year prison sentence following the death of her three-month-old daughter, Dahlia-Rose. The infant was discovered at a home in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, in September 2023 with extensive burns covering 18% of her body, including her head. Gartshore was found guilty of culpable homicide at the High Court in Aberdeen in July.
During the trial, the court heard that Gartshore had been consuming alcohol before the incident. A 999 recording captured her claiming the baby had gone limp and changed color while she slept. Prosecutors established that only the mother was present with the infant at the time, and DNA evidence linked the baby to the hairdryer used in the attack. While a medical expert suggested the burns might have occurred post-mortem, the jury rejected the defense’s argument and unanimously convicted Gartshore of recklessly subjecting the child to extreme heat.
Judge Simon Collins described the case as uniquely distressing. Detective Inspector James Callander emphasized the vulnerability of children and the necessity of ensuring justice for such tragic acts. The sentencing took place at the High Court in Edinburgh, where the judge acknowledged the horrifying nature of the event.
