Sheriff slams Crown over prosecution of child abuser on summary complaint

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane expressed frustration that she could only jail David Tannock, 37, for 12 months, saying he deserved four years after he was found guilty of beating a baby from birth until she was three in addition to assaults against an older girl.

Mr Tannock carried out the assaults between January 2012 and last August at a property in Newmilns in Ayrshire.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, Sheriff McFarlane said: “I’ve been doing this job a long time, Mr Tannock.

“I’ve never heard anything quite so chilling as the recording of the three-year-old girl screaming at you not to hit her.

“The children had to come to court to give evidence against you and spoke of numerous assaults.

“I am shocked this was raised on summary complaint – the most I can jail you for is a year. You deserve four years, Mr Tannock, one for every year you abused these children.”

A spokesman for the Crown Office defended the decision, saying: “We note the sentence and the comments of the sheriff.

“Decisions on what court to prosecute a case in are taken after careful consideration of all the relevant facts and circumstances of a case.”