Wrexham,North Wales - Dad who was 'unable to cope' inflicted injuries on baby daughter

Published date: 18 May 2016 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
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A DEPRESSED dad who inflicted injuries on his five-week-old baby daughter has avoided immediate imprisonment.

The baby girl was taken to the doctor and was found to have 15 separate injuries involving marks or slight bruising.

Judge Niclas Parry told the dad, 24 at the time and from the Deeside area, that he had admitted an offence which amounted ‘to the possible greatest breach of trust’. That was the duty of care a father had for a vulnerable child.

“You obviously breached the trust of your wife who naturally believed when you offered to care for her daughter, so she could have a rest, that you would do just that.”

There was irrefutable medical evidence which showed that the defendant, a man of good character, was suffering from a genuine depressive episode caused by great financial and emotional pressures.

“You acted out of character because of those pressures,” the judge told him at Mold Crown 

Court yesterday.

Judge Parry said the gravity of the matter demanded a prison sentence of 20 months. But that would be suspended for two years after he said he had in the forefront of his mind the need for him to be rehabilitated and for the future protection of children including the victim.

The dad admitted a child cruelty charge. His barrister, John Hedgecoe, stressed it was on a reckless basis when he was depressed and had acted out of frustration.

It was not suggested he had intended to cause the injuries. The offence had occurred because he was unable to cope at the time.

Barrister John Philpotts, prosecuting, said the baby was born last spring and initially there was no reason for any concern.

But one night he told his wife the baby had hit her face on his chin and was bleeding.

It happened while he cared for the baby so she could have a good night’s sleep.

The grandparents arrived, the cut was not serious and the mother was advised simply to bathe it.

The following night he was again caring for the baby so his wife could sleep.

In the morning she found a mark on the shoulder which she thought was a rash.

Mr Philpotts said the next day she heard the baby cry on the monitor, he said he would attend to her and he returned and said he had hit his toe on a piece of furniture.

His reflex reaction, while holding the baby, was to squeeze her, he said.

He said that later while feeding her he had pulled the bottle out of her mouth and the baby in frustration wanted it back and had cut her own lip with her finger nail.

The defendant appeared upset about what had happened.

The following day she was at her parents’ home, she became concerned, asked the defendant to make an appointment with the GP which he did, and they both attended.

Mr Philpotts said the baby was examined and the doctor sent them to hospital fearing non-accidental injuries. A paediatrician found 15 separate injuries, all relatively minor in themselves.

The father denied to police he had done anything wrong, but later became emotional with his wife and confessed he was responsible for the marks to the neck and shoulder.

He also said he had held her to stop her moving and caused bruising to the ribs and trunk when he slipped while holding her coming down the stairs.

The police were informed and he then accepted responsibility but said he had not deliberately injured her.

see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/162147/dad-who-was-unable-to-cope-inflicted-injuries-on-baby-daughter.aspx