Father facing jail over death of shaken Cheslyn Hay baby

The father of a girl who died seven years after she was injured as a baby, was today facing jail after pleading guilty to her manslaughter.

Paul Slattery, aged 32, killed Caitlin Wetton, from Cheslyn Hay, who died in hospital on June 4, 2010, after being shaken by him when she was an eight-week-old baby.

He was arrested on Thursday night after failing to make a scheduled appearance at court earlier in the day and was remanded in custody until July 13 when he will be sentenced.

He had been expected to deny the charge and a trial date had already been set for July 16, but he changed his mind at the eleventh hour yesterday.

The shaking attack took place at the family home at Glenthorne Drive in November 2002, causing the injuries which resulted in Caitlin's death at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Slattery was living with the baby's mother Michelle Wetton at the time. He later moved to Scotland.

The couple had a second daughter, who was Caitlin's twin, born in September 2002. Caitlin suffered from cerebral palsy.

Slattery wore a cream-coloured jumper and chinos when he appeared before a judge at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday . He spoke only to enter a guilty plea.

He last appeared at the court on May 18 when he was released on conditional bail. He had travelled from his new home in Rowan Crescent, Leven, Fife.

An application for bail this time around was turned down following his failure to appear on Thursday and a bench warrant issued for his arrest. Three police officers from Scotland were involved in a 10-hour round trip to bring him to court yesterday, after his arrest at home.

The Attorney-General gave his consent to Slattery's prosecution in March. Following the go-ahead, senior prosecutor David Rouse instructed the police to charge him with manslaughter.

By Marion Brennan