Tipton man sentenced for child cruelty after shaken baby had injuries similar to road crash

The seven-week-old suffered a brain bleed and bruising to the face, leg and spine during an incident at an address in Tipton four years ago.

Paramedics attending the property reported the matter to the police after arriving to find the child in a "floppy" condition.

Liam Connor, 22, from Tipton, pleaded guilty to a offence of child cruelty on September 18, 2018, on the basis that his "actions were reckless" and carried out in a "momentary lapse of judgement".

Mr Antoine Muller, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court that the injuries were "very similar to a road traffic accident or a long fall, systematic of a crash".

Sentencing him at on Monday Judge Michael Chambers KC said the case was "troubling" and that as a result of the defendant's actions the child had been seriously injured. He said medical reports stated the baby had experienced an "accelerated then decelerated event, in other words, some degree of shaking".

He said the baby was intubated and taken to hospital where a scan showed it had suffered trauma with "bruising to the jaw and leg. Haemorrhaging to the brain" and was left seriously ill. Thankfully coming off the ventilator after one day and has gone on to make a full recovery."

The court heard that the defendant, who was aged 18 at the time, initially denied the allegations and that the case had been subject to numerous delays including a jury trial which was listed three times, but never materialised.

Connor also had a previous conviction as a juvenile for a dissimilar offence.

Mr Muktar Ubi, defending, said Connor's best mitigation was his young age at the time and his subsequent recent guilty plea. He said he was of low risk of re-offending in future.

Judge Chambers replied: "For all those reasons I am persuaded that it is sufficient to sentence you to a suspended order."

For child cruelty Connor was jailed for 10 months suspended for two years, he must carry out 150 hours unpaid work and up to 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days with probation. The judge warned him that sentence would be activated if he failed to comply.