Courtney Stewart was questioned by police for the photo

A woman has sparked outrage after she took a photo of a toddler with Down’s syndrome she was caring for inside a washing machine.

Courtney Stewart was questioned by police after she uploaded the image to her Facebook account.

Despite coming under fire from neighbours and social media users online, the 21-year-old refused to apologise for the image, saying that the boy she was caring for “loves the washing machine”.

“We took a picture and it was a laugh,” the Scottish woman told the Daily Record newspaper.

“He is clearly laughing so I don’t understand why somebody took offence… What did they think I was doing to him?

“Taking him for a spin?”

Ms Stewart said the young child had “a bit of a washing obsession” so she was happy to let him play in the washing machine.

“Anyone who knows him would know he’s got a washing obsession.

“I don’t know who reported it. I don’t really know why they would do that. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.

“They shouldn’t be able to call the police anonymously.

“The police know who it was and I don’t think it’s at all fair that they can’t tell me.”

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A member of the public who contacted the Daily Record about the picture said: “It was terrible to look at.

“For anyone, let alone someone who is also a parent, to take a picture like that and stick it on Facebook for a laugh is unbelievable."

Ms Stewart, who lives in Erskine, Renfrewshire, claimed she had been physically attacked by a complete stranger over the picture.

She said: “I got assaulted by a woman. She came to my door and said I was a f****** nutter and she wouldn’t let me anywhere near her kids.

“It happened right on my doorstep. I got assaulted in my own home.”

It is understood that a 42-year-old woman was arrested over the alleged assault.

Belfast Telegraph