Courtney Gartshore, 28, has been sentenced to six years in prison for the death of her three-month-old daughter, which occurred in September 2023 in Peterhead, northeast Scotland. The sentence comes after a jury found her guilty of culpable homicide at a trial in Aberdeen.
The events occurred at the family home on King Street on September 30, 2023. The investigation determined that the baby, Dahlia-Rose Gartshore, was exposed to the heat of a hair dryer for a prolonged period and suffered burns that affected approximately 18% of her body.
The investigation into the baby’s death
Emergency services went to the home after being alerted about the minor’s condition, but could not prevent her death. The subsequent investigation made it possible to locate the girl’s DNA on the hairdryer used during the incident.
Gartshore was arrested and formally charged in November 2023. During the court process, the defendant stated that she did not remember what happened. The prosecution presented to the court the circumstances under which the death occurred and the medical and forensic evidence obtained during the investigation.
Police Scotland reported after the verdict that the trial had continued for seven days and that the investigation had involved a variety of specialists.
The defendant’s alcohol consumption and background
Gartshore’s condition at the time of the events was also addressed during the trial. According to evidence presented in court, she had consumed alcohol while caring for her daughter.
The defense also described the personal difficulties the defendant had endured, including traumatic experiences during her childhood, mental health issues, and a history of self-harm and overdose.
His lawyer, Murray Macara, said he could not provide a clear explanation as to why Gartshore used the blow dryer on the girl. One of the possibilities raised during the procedure was that he had tried to provide warmth because he thought he was cold.
The court considers that there was no intention to kill
The central element of the sentence was the difference between an intentional death and that caused by grossly negligent conduct. The court found that Gartshore did not intend to kill her daughter, but found that her behavior had been an extremely serious breach of her duty of care as a mother.
Judge Simon Collins described the events as “singularly disturbing” and noted during the hearing that Gartshore will have to face the consequences of having been responsible for his daughter’s death.
The sentence corresponds to the crime of culpable homicide, a figure specific to Scottish criminal law that can be applied when a person causes the death of another without the necessary circumstances for a conviction for murder.
What differentiates culpable homicide from murder in Scotland
The Scottish criminal system distinguishes between murder and culpable homicide based on, among other elements, the intention and the degree of recklessness or reckless conduct attributable to the accused.
The Scottish Government explains that murder requires intent to kill or conduct of a severity that allows the person to be considered to have acted recklessly with respect to human life. Culpable manslaughter can be applied when the conduct causing the death does not meet that threshold.
The penalty also does not respond to a fixed rate. The courts take into account the specific circumstances of each case, the level of guilt, the damage caused and possible aggravating or mitigating factors.
In Gartshore’s case, the judge had to assess the seriousness of the conduct along with the personal circumstances presented by the defense before setting a sentence of six years in prison.
The case reaches court almost three years later
The investigation began immediately after Dahlia-Rose’s death and culminated in Gartshore’s arrest two months later. The trial took place in Aberdeen in July 2026, when the jury found her guilty of culpable homicide.
The mother remained in custody and this Friday she followed the sentencing hearing by videoconference from the Scottish prison where she is being held.
