A man who tried to kill a nine-month old baby during an violent alcohol-fuelled attack that left her with a fractured skull has been jailed.

William Robertson was sentenced to six years behind bars at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday after being convicted of the attempt murder at an earlier trial.

The 21-year-old launched a violent attack on the defenceless baby within his flat on Jean Armour Drive, Clydebank on September 9, 2017, while he was caring for the infant.

As well as a fractured skull the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered massive bruising to her forehead and ear.

Sentencing Judge Norman Ritchie told him: "You were convicted of endangering the life of a vulnerable, defenceless child.

"You caused significant injury, but by good fortune the child has recovered well."

Judge Ritchie ordered that Robertson should be monitored in the community for two years after his release to protect the public.

Robertson denied attacking the baby and claimed she had sustained her injuries by falling from a couch as he was sleeping.

However, medical experts said that her horrific injuries were caused by more than one incident.

In evidence, Robertson insisted he was wakened by the baby falling off the couch and denied ever hitting her, claiming: "I'm not a monster."

Robertson also denied he was drunk and angry that night, although he admitted downing a can of Dragon's Soup and some Mad Dog 2020.

During his trial he claimed he was prepared to undergo a lie detector test to prove his innocence and asked to get on the Jeremy Kyle show.

But the jury did not believe him and found him guilty of attempting to murder the baby by repeatedly striking her on the head and body or by means unknown to the prosecutor.

The court heard that Robertson ran to his mother's nearby house at 4am with the seriously injured baby in his arms.

An ambulance was called and she was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital.

The child's mother said Robertson phoned to say her daughter was in hospital and added: "He was trying to sound upset. I could tell it was put on by the tone of his voice. It was as if he was pretending to cry."

The 19-year-old said when she arrived at the hospital around 4.20am Robertson was sitting on a chair and her daughter was in a hospital bed screaming and crying.

She said: "He was sitting next to my daughter. He was not trying to comfort her. He said 'It's not what it looks like'.

"I could smell drink off him and his eyes were just all over the place."

She said that Robertson gave her three different accounts of how the baby came to be injured.

The child, who is now aged two, has made a full recovery.

Defence QC Donald Findlay said that his client continues to maintain he is innocent and it was an accidental fall.

Mr Findlay added: "Whatever happened on this occasion he failed and will pay the penalty for that failure."