FIFE WOMAN REMANDED AFTER “UTTERLY WICKED” PLOT TO POISON TODDLER WITH ADULT DRUGS
A woman from Glenrothes, identified as Laura Docherty, is currently facing serious criminal charges related to her alleged treatment of a young girl over a period spanning more than two years.The allegations include an attempted murder attempt, as well as accusations of wilful ill-treatment, which have shocked the local community and prompted a high-profile legal case.
According to prosecutors, Docherty is accused of deliberately causing harm to the child through violent actions and administering medications that were not prescribed by medical professionals.
These actions are said to have taken place between September 2020 and February 2023 at various locations in Edinburgh.
The severity of her alleged misconduct is underscored by reports that the child was significantly affected by her treatment, to the extent that she required resuscitation and intensive medical intervention.
In addition to the physical abuse allegations, Docherty faces charges of fraud.
It is claimed that she created a GoFundMe fundraising page under the pseudonym 'Lucy,' purportedly to gather financial support for the child's medical needs.
The campaign claimed that the girl was suffering from a “neurological illness” and was undergoing treatment, which was used to solicit donations.
However, investigators allege that Docherty was responsible for causing the child's health issues while simultaneously raising a total of £485 through the online platform, which is believed to have been obtained fraudulently.
The indictment details a series of disturbing incidents, including violent threats and physical assaults against the young girl.
It is also alleged that Docherty administered medications such as amitriptyline, dihydrocodeine, and paracetamol without medical approval.
Furthermore, she is accused of persuading another individual to give the child one of these drugs, which contributed to the child's suffering from seizures.
The child was subsequently hospitalized, requiring ventilation and undergoing medical procedures that were deemed unnecessary by medical professionals.
During a court hearing at the High Court in Glasgow, Docherty's legal representative, Simon Gilbride, entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf.
The case is scheduled for trial in Edinburgh, with proceedings expected to begin in November 2025.
The trial is projected to last approximately seven days, during which the court will examine the evidence and determine her guilt or innocence regarding these serious allegations.
—————————————————————————————————— UPDATE 09-12-2025 A woman from Fife has been remanded in custody after a jury found she attempted to murder a toddler by repeatedly giving the child powerful adult medication.
Laura Docherty, 35, was unanimously convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh following evidence that the toddler had been exposed to antidepressants and pain-relief drugs over a prolonged period, resulting in life-threatening medical emergencies.
The court heard that the child suffered seizures, repeated episodes of reduced consciousness, and eventually required resuscitation, ventilation and intensive hospital treatment.
The judge described the findings placed before the court as “deeply troubling” and said the harm inflicted on the child was impossible to justify in any circumstance.
While acknowledging Docherty’s difficult personal history, the judge made clear that nothing explained or excused the deliberate risk she created for the toddler, referencing the distressing scene of a young child fighting to breathe in an ambulance as a stark example of the seriousness of the abuse.
Given the gravity of the case, the court has ordered detailed background and psychiatric reports.
Docherty was on bail during the trial but was immediately remanded after the verdict.
She will remain in custody until those reports are completed and the court sets a date for sentencing.
The offences were committed between 2021 and 2023 at locations including an address in the Niddrie area of Edinburgh, within a ward at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, and elsewhere.
Evidence established that Docherty administered drugs such as amitriptyline, propranolol and dihydrocodeine — none of which were prescribed for the child.
A man known to Docherty also gave evidence that she attempted to persuade him to give the same medication to the toddler.
He refused, noting the tablets were adult-strength and inappropriate for a child, and opted to give only a normal dose of Calpol.
Docherty now awaits sentencing once the court receives the necessary assessments.
