Woman Who Came a 'Hair's Breadth' of Killing a Child Jailed to a Minimum of Six Years

A Glenrothes woman who repeatedly poisoned a toddler with powerful adult medication has been jailed for a minimum of six years for attempted murder, after a judge said she came within a 'hair's breadth' of killing the child.

Laura Docherty, 35, gave the girl drugs including Amitriptyline, Propranolol and Dihydrocodeine between April 2021 and February 2023. The child suffered seizures, reduced consciousness and cardiac events, requiring resuscitation and ventilation.

The child was only two years old when Docherty began poisoning her with drugs that had not been prescribed for her.

Sentencing her at the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Michael O'Grady KC described her actions as 'utterly reckless and breathtakingly wicked'. The judge added that Docherty had come within a 'hair's breadth' of killing the child.

Drugged in Hospital Ward

One of the most serious incidents took place at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.

Docherty pulled a curtain around the toddler's bed as she was already being treated. Staff then heard a pill packet being opened behind it.

They later established that Docherty was giving, or attempting to give, the child more unprescribed drugs.

The child was caught in a 'never-ending medical drama' of Docherty's creation, the judge said. At one point, a paramedic was fighting to save the girl's life in an ambulance when Docherty was found filming the scene.

Medical staff raised concerns in February 2023, which prompted an official investigation. Docherty was arrested and charged in May 2023.

Lip-synching, Posting TikTok Videos During Trial

Throughout her trial, Docherty displayed what the judge called an 'insatiable desire for attention'. She posted a series of videos on TikTok, including some filmed inside the High Court. In the clips, she lip-synced to music and danced in court hallways and toilets.

Clips included her lip-syncing to 'I've Had The Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing and a dance remix of Celine Dion's 'Because You Loved Me'. Captions on the videos included 'makemefamous' and 'screwedup', with one featuring an eye-roll emoji alongside the text 'court again'.

Judge O'Grady said the videos demonstrated her lack of remorse and reflected her view of proceedings as yet another opportunity for the attention and drama she craved.

Detective Constable Gemma Warriner, who led the investigation, said Docherty never accepted responsibility for her actions and repeatedly tried to blame others instead.

Order for Lifelong Restriction

Alongside the minimum six-year prison term, Docherty was given an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR). The Scottish sentence is used in serious cases where an offender is considered a high risk to the public.

Under the order, Docherty will not be automatically released after her minimum term. Any release remains a matter for the Scottish Parole Board. Should she ever be freed, she will remain subject to a lifelong risk management plan and supervision.

Judge O'Grady noted she may never be released at all. Docherty was also made subject to a non-harassment order banning her from contacting the victim.

Child Pulls Through After Fighting for Her Life

The child survived her ordeal owing to the skill of the paramedics and doctors who treated her. Her father, speaking after sentencing, said he has 'no sympathy' for Docherty and that the verdict had given him closure.

'She is where she is meant to be now,' he said. He added that the outcome felt like 'a weight off my shoulders' and that he hoped to explain what happened to his daughter when she was older.