Rodney Clough to be sentenced for recklessly causing harm to nephew ‘Little Jimmy’

The uncle of Little Jimmy, who “lost complete control” before subjecting his nephew to a horror assault, has been told by a judge he needs to get some help.

The uncle of Little Jimmy “lost complete control” before he submerged his nephew in boiling water, leaving him covered in burns.

Rodney David Clough, 42, was told by a District Court judge he needs to get some help as he awaits his fate from custody for the horrific act.

Clough was arrested in August 2022 alongside his partner Emma Short after she took her son to a doctor’s surgery at Blair Athol covered in burns.

Little Jimmy was then rushed to hospital where a forensic pediatrician found him covered in burns.

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

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

During sentencing submissions on Friday, prosecutor Paul Tate told the District Court 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 Little Jimmy’s injuries were consistent with a fairly quick emersion in the water.

“The face in the water, and then there’s splashdown type injuries on the chest,” Mr Tate said.

The court heard Ms Short left the motel just after 8am on August 8, 2022, leaving Clough alone with Little Jimmy.

Clough then messaged Ms Short around 9.40am confirming Little Jimmy had been injured and she returned to her motel.

Mr Tate told the court Little Jimmy suffered no long lasting scarring from his injuries.

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.

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

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

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

Judge Anthony Allen told Clough’s lawyer his client needed to get some help, noting Little Jimmy had endured a very difficult and traumatic upbringing.

“This has been an incident where your client lost complete control for a short period of time with the child,” Judge Allen said.

“And thereafter realised the gravity of what he’d done to the child.”

Judge Allen will sentence Clough, who has now been in custody for more than two years, in February.

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

Originally published as Rodney Clough to be sentenced for recklessly causing harm to nephew ‘Little Jimmy’