Nanny 'gave baby brain damage and broken arm'

A nanny assaulted a baby, leaving him with a brain injury and a broken arm, after being hired to look after him during London Fashion Week, a court heard today.

Jasmin Schmidt, 32, told the baby's mother he had been restless in the night and she had attempted to swaddle him in a blanket.

But the mother noticed the twoanda-half-month-old was pale and had gone blue around the eyes, the Old Bailey heard.

Schmidt, of Primrose Hill, denies two charges of grievous bodily harm with intent against the North Yorkshire baby, who cannot be identified. Sally Howes QC, prosecuting, alleged the baby was shaken during the night of 14 September 2002, when Schmidt was hired through a London agency.

The family, who had a designer boutique, had travelled from their home in the Harrogate area to attend the fashion event.

They were staying at a flat in west London and had arranged for family and friends to care for the baby during the day but hired Schmidt to look after him at night.

Miss Howes said: "Miss Schmidt assaulted the baby. That assault resulted in serious injuries - bleeding and injury to the brain as a result of having been shaken, and also causing a broken right arm." In the morning, Schmidt told the mother the baby had been restless. She said he "appeared angry" and she had attempted to "swaddle him in a blanket," said Miss Howes. "She had tapped him on the back quite hard in order to get him to be quiet."

After Schmidt left, the mother drew back the curtains. "At this point, she noticed the area round his eyes were blue and he had dried milk around his mouth. He made a whimpering sound. He was very pale and cold to the touch," said Miss Howes.

The mother rang Schmidt but allegedly found her unhelpful and defensive. The mother felt something was wrong and took the baby to hospital. The case continues.