Rodney Clough eligible for parole after recklessly causing harm to nephew ‘Little Jimmy’

The uncle of Little Jimmy is eligible for parole after he submerged his nephew in boiling water in a horrific discipline method, a court heard.

The uncle of Little Jimmy is eligible for parole after he submerged his nephew in boiling water to get him to behave, a court heard.

Rodney David Clough, 42, was slammed by a judge for his horrific discipline methods that left Little Jimmy covered by burns.

Clough was jailed on Tuesday for three years and six months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and two months.

He was arrested alongside his partner Emma Short after she took her son to a doctor’s surgery at Blair Athol covered in burns.

The sentence was backdated to August 17, 2022, meaning Clough is eligible for parole.

During sentencing, the District Court heard Ms Short left the motel just after 8am on August 8, 2022, leaving Clough alone with Little Jimmy.

Clough sent a message to Ms Short at 9.40am suggesting Little Jimmy had turned on the hot tap in the shower, and “burnt his face, it’s red. He was screaming and skin peeling where he got it. He’s gonna need medical centre”.

Rodney David Clough pleaded guilty to recklessly causing harm. Picture: Facebook

Little Jimmy was then rushed to hospital after suffering partial thickness scald injuries to his eyelids, nose, cheeks, lips, chin and upper chest.

He spent 10 days in intensive care at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital before eventually being discharged.

Testing conducted by police in the motel room where the incident occurred found the bathroom sink could reach a temperature of 77 degrees.

The court heard it was accepted Clough immersed Little Jimmy face down in a sink or basin in order to “give him a fright in an attempt to get him to behave” and in doing so was reckless that the water was scalding hot.

Clough pleaded guilty to aggravated recklessly causing harm on the eve of trial and a charge of aggravated causing harm with intent was dropped as a result.

Prosecutors dropped all charges against Ms Short in December 2022 and a previous ban on her seeing her son was cancelled.

“It goes without saying that whilst your crime took place extremely quickly the dangers of what you were doing should have been obvious to you,” Judge Anthony Allen said.

“It also goes without saying that your attempts to discipline the victim in the manner that you did went grossly beyond anything like that which is remotely acceptable in our community.”

Emma Short had her criminal neglect charge dropped in 2022. Picture Dean Martin

The court heard Clough and Ms Short, who are brother and sister-in-law, were in a relationship at the time of the allegations.

The court heard Clough had been placed into protection as a result of the offending and had been assaulted twice while in custody.

Judge Allen said it was fortunate that Little Jimmy had made a complete recovery.

“Frustration does not provide an excuse or a gross abdication of the responsibility of the adult to protect a child or children in their care,” he said.

Ms Short did not make comment and rushed away from waiting media after the sentence.

*The Advertiser has chosen to use a pseudonym for the victim.