Tracy Menhinick: former auxiliary nurse who poisoned child with laxatives jailed for seven years

A former auxiliary nurse has been jailed for seven years after she poisoned a child with a dangerous amount of laxatives.

Tracy Menhinick, 52 from Aberdeen, was found guilty of “wilfully” ill-treating the child in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health. She administered non-prescription medication, primarily laxative lactulose, to the child over a course of three years from 2014, when the boy was aged between three and six.

Menhinick appeared at Glasgow High Court on Tuesday (April 9) for her sentencing. During the hearing, Judge Lady Drummond said that it was “beyond understanding” why she would have inflicted such severe harm on the child.

She said: “The amount of laxatives he was being given by you were such that at times he would have floppy episodes where he became limp and had to be resuscitated. You agreed that he should undergo intrusive and risky operations knowing that these were unnecessary and that the need for them had been caused by you.

“You were an auxiliary nurse and knew what you were doing. Even once admitted to hospital you continued to give him dangerous levels of laxatives. Why anybody would want to inflict such severe harm and suffering, endangering the life of a young child on multiple occasions over a period of years is beyond understanding.”

The court heard during the trial at the High Court in Aberdeen that Menhinick had consented to treatments, procedures and operations which she knew were unnecessary for the child. The indictment said that these procedures were not needed and “all to his permanent disfigurement, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life”.

One doctor who gave evidence said that the boy had been “emaciated” on his last visit to hospital, with medical professionals baffled as to why his condition had not been improving on previous admissions to the Royal Aberdeen’s Children Hospital. Evidence was heard that the young boy may not grow to his full potential, and is expected to suffer from psychological difficulties as a result of the medication.

Menhinick’s lawyer, Frances Connor, told the court that her client suffered from a number of mental and physical health issues and has done since a young age. She said that the 52-year-old, who wept in the dock as her sentence was delivered, is bed-bound and does not pose a risk to the public, adding: “It is likely that Ms Menhinick will probably suffer more than the normal person will in custody as a result of her conditions.”