A woman who murdered her 19-day-old daughter in a “violent and brutal” attack has been jailed for at least 19 years.
Nicole Blain killed infant daughter Thea Wilson in Greenock, Inverclyde, on July 14, 2023.
As she was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, Lord Scott imposed a life sentence, saying it would be 19 years before Blain could be considered for parole.
The judge dismissed Blain’s “absurd” claims that another child had been responsible for Thea’s death.
Blain, 30, was found guilty of murder last month following a trial at the same court.
She had been charged with murdering her daughter by repeatedly shaking her and repeatedly inflicting blunt force trauma upon her by means unknown to the prosecutor.
Sentencing Blain, Lord Scott said she had inflicted “catastrophic, deadly violence” and had “murdered a tiny, defenceless baby”.
He noted that in the days before Thea’s death, Blain had sent messages to relatives saying she was “terrified” of something happening to Thea.
The judge said Blain had given an “absurd account from the witness box” during her trial, as she sought to blame another child for the infant’s death.
He described the impact of Thea’s death on the rest of her family.
For her father Ross Wilson, it had “broke his heart and shattered his life”.
Mr Wilson’s victim impact statement said “the pain is constant”, the judge said.
Thea’s grandfather Ross Wilson will “never forget the terrible screams” he heard when Blain called him as Thea was in pain in the background.
Lord Scott said the evidence suggested Blain had been struggling to look after the young children in her care, but she had not accepted help.
The judge told her: “As you stand here before the court you have shown not a shred of remorse.”
He continued: “Having regard to the extremely violent, indeed brutal murder of a defenceless baby, I have decided that the punishment part will be at least 19 years.”
The judge reminded Blaine that she was receiving a life sentence and 19 years represents the minimum length of time before she can be considered for parole.
Following the hearing, a group of supporters gathered in Glasgow Green to release balloons in order to remember Thea.
They held up a banner reading: “As the monster goes down, the balloons go up.”
Police received a report of a baby having taken unwell at a property in Greenock on July 14, 2023.
Thea was taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, where she died.
Following the conviction, Detective Chief Inspector Laura Young said: “This is a tragic case in which a baby has lost her life and Nicole Blain will now have to face the consequences of her actions.
“I would like to thank all the officers involved, as well as our partner agencies, for their work during this investigation.”
