GEORGE GARETH PHILLIPS FROM NEWTONGRANGE SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC CHILD TORTURE IN MIDLOTHIAN

In April 1999, a deeply disturbing case of child abuse unfolded in Midlothian, involving George Phillips, aged 21, and his teenage brother Gareth, 16, both from Newtongrange. The incident centered around the brutal treatment of a five-year-old girl, which has left lasting scars both physically and emotionally.

George Phillips was convicted of inflicting a series of 54 injuries on the young girl, injuries so severe that they resembled those typically caused by a car crash. The assault was reportedly motivated by Phillips' frustration with babysitting the child. According to court reports, he subjected her to repeated punches, kicks, and bites. The violence escalated to the point where he bound her with masking tape, gagged her, and confined her in a dark loft space within a house in Midlothian.

Gareth Phillips, the accused's younger brother, was also involved in the assault. During the incident, Gareth dropped the girl from a height of approximately 12 feet onto a landing, resulting in a fractured pelvis with six separate breaks. Both brothers' actions caused significant trauma to the child, who was left in a vulnerable and dangerous situation.

At a subsequent court hearing, both George and Gareth Phillips received sentences of six years each. The court proceedings revealed the extent of the injuries and the brutality of the attack. The child's mother, a 29-year-old woman, expressed her outrage at the sentencing, stating, "Six years isn’t enough. George was clearly the ringleader in this. My girl still has nightmares and is afraid that George or his brother is going to hurt her again."

During the sentencing, Lord Gill condemned the actions of George Phillips, describing the crime as contemptible and emphasizing the damage inflicted upon an innocent and defenseless child. He remarked, "It seems clear this child has been damaged physically and emotionally by this assault. It’s difficult to understand why anyone should commit such an attack."

Details of the incident reveal that George Phillips was left in charge of the girl at a residence in Midlothian in February of the previous year. Advocate depute Peter Gray explained that Phillips, apparently fed up with babysitting, and his brother began to physically assault the girl, targeting her head and body with punches and kicks. The assault also involved biting her and striking her with a spoon. The brothers then used masking tape to bind her across the mouth, around her head, and her arms.

Further cruelty was inflicted when Phillips used step ladders to place the girl into the loft, where she was left alone with his brother before the ladder was removed. The following morning, the girl was taken to hospital, where a consultant observed injuries that resembled severe bruising consistent with car seat-belt injuries. The medical professional noted that the injuries appeared to have taken considerable time and energy to inflict, indicating prolonged abuse.

The young girl has since suffered from nightmares and will require ongoing psychological counseling. She provided evidence against Gareth Phillips via a television link during his trial, leading to his conviction for assault causing severe injury and endangering life. Subsequently, George Phillips admitted to the charge of assault causing severe injury.

During the sentencing, William McVicar, representing George Phillips, mentioned that Phillips had been subjected to physical abuse himself as a child, including being beaten with a baseball bat by his mother upon learning of the torture. McVicar acknowledged the gravity of Phillips' actions but noted that his guilty plea spared the young girl from the trauma of testifying in court. Lord Gill also took into account that Phillips had limited intelligence and appeared to have been a victim of sexual and physical abuse during his own childhood, which may have contributed to his behavior.