JAMIE-LEE FERGUSON SHOVES 5-YEAR-OLD OFF PERTH TRAMPOLINE, BREAKS COLLARBONE

A distressing incident occurred in Perth involving a young child and a woman named Jamie-Lee Ferguson, aged 24, which resulted in a serious injury. The event took place at a property in Perth where Ferguson was present with a five-year-old girl. According to court reports, Ferguson became involved in an altercation with the young girl over sharing a trampoline. The girl, who was outside the safety net of the raised trampoline, was pushed by Ferguson from the outer edge of the trampoline onto the ground several feet below.

During the court proceedings at Perth Sheriff Court, it was revealed that Ferguson was positioned at the center of the trampoline while the child was outside the protective netting, near the edge. The fiscal depute, Kate Scarborough, explained that footage from the scene clearly shows the young girl walking along the outer edge of the trampoline, which was enclosed by a safety net. Ferguson, who was inside the net, forcibly pushed the girl from behind, causing her to fall backward through the netting onto the ground below. This fall resulted in the girl suffering a fractured collarbone, a serious injury that required medical attention.

The young girl was promptly taken to the hospital’s accident and emergency department, where medical staff diagnosed her with a closed fracture of the collarbone. Fortunately, the injury was not deemed to require extensive treatment; she was fitted with a sling to aid her recovery. The incident was reported to police some time after it occurred, and Ferguson was subsequently charged with assaulting the child on October 15 of the previous year. She also admitted to an alternative charge of culpable and reckless conduct at a property in Perth, acknowledging that her actions—pushing the child onto the ground—caused her severe injury.

Ferguson’s solicitor, Steve Lafferty, addressed the court, expressing remorse for the incident. He stated, “She is mortified this has happened. They were in high spirits, there was a push, and she doesn't really know why she did it, but she knows it was wrong. It was on to the grass. It wasn't that high and she didn't appreciate the effect it would have.”

The court was informed that the young girl experienced pain the day after the incident and was taken to hospital for treatment. Ferguson expressed deep regret over her actions, and a social work report highlighted her personal difficulties, which may have influenced her behavior. The report also indicated that Ferguson’s record is relatively clean, and she showed some insight into her mistake. She maintained that her actions were accidental, though she did not fully grasp the legal nuances of culpable and reckless behavior.

Judge William Gilchrist, presiding over the case, stated that he would follow the recommendations outlined in the background report. As part of her sentence, Ferguson was placed under social work supervision for a period of six months, reflecting the seriousness of the incident and the need for her to be monitored during her rehabilitation process.