A MAN has been charged by police after a two-year-old girl plunged almost 50 feet from a fourth storey window earlier this month.

The youngster was rushed to hospital with serious injuries following the late evening fall in Craighead Way, Barrhead.

Police Scotland say a 34-year-old man has since been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

A spokesperson added: “He is subject of a report to the procurator fiscal. The child has been released from hospital.”

It is understood that the man has been charged under section 12 of the Children and Young Person Act, which relates to issues of child neglect and cruelty.

Police inquiries into the incident are continuing. The arrested man is expected to appear at Paisley Sheriff Court at a later date.

Following our story last week, we were contacted by a former tenant of the same flat where the young girl fell.

Mother-of-four Dawn Webster, 34, had previously raised safety concerns with East Renfrewshire Council over the windows which she claims open too easily and either need fixed or replaced.

Dawn, a security guard, says all in the windows in the flat and throughout the block open out fully and do not catch as you would normally expect.

She also says the design of the skirting boards make its easier for children to climb up on to the ledges.

Dawn, who has returned to her home town of Dundee, added: “When I saw the story in the Barrhead News last week about the toddler falling from the flat in Craighead Way, I was physically sick.

“I was a previous tenant that moved out in October 2020 after four years.

“I regularly complained to council about the windows opening too easily.

“However, the repair staff who came out said there was nothing that they could do.

“They tried filing grooves at the side of the window to see if they would catch but that didn’t work.”

It’s understood that the girl fell from a living room window.

An immediate investigation was launched by Police Scotland into the incident, including officers from their Public Protection Unit.

A spokesperson added: “Police received report of a two-year-old girl who was injured after falling from the window of a flat on Craighead Way in Barrhead around 8.25pm on Thursday, September 2.

“Emergency services attended and she was taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.”

However, East Renfrewshire Council insisted that the windows in the flat had been made safe.

A spokesperson said: “Following a request from the previous tenant at this property, staff attended to assess the windows and completed the required works.

“The windows were also fully serviced in November 2020 prior to the new tenant moving in.”