Man sent to prison for harming infant (From Gazette Series)

Man sent to prison for harming infant

A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Cam started a 12-month prison sentence on Tuesday after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to a four-and-a-half-month-old baby.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons and who has since moved to Devon, pleaded guilty in September to two charges of harming the baby without intent on November 9 last year.

Prosecutor Kerry Barker told Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday that a health visitor went to the defendant's house on November 11 and found that the child had serious injuries.

The baby was taken to Gloucester Royal hospital where it was found to have suffered a spiral fracture of the right leg and two fractures to the lower left ankle.

Mr Barker said that two experts had concluded that the injuries could only have been caused by an "excessive twisting motion", used on two separate occasions. He said: "The baby would have been screaming in pain for 15 minutes. It would have been evident that the baby was in pain.

The health visitor, the court heard, was alerted to the case by the man's neighbours who had been so distressed by the baby's crying that they had knocked on the wall.

David Maunder, defending, said his client was at something of a loss to explain what must have been two momentary aberrations within the same loss of control.

Mr Maunder added that his client was working nights, was under stress at the time and deeply regretted what happened.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: "You injured a little baby in a fit of temper that was excessive.

"Those who injure little children in this way, I'm afraid, have to go to prison."

The defendant was sentenced to 12 months in a young offender's institution.