Father is jailed for fractures to baby

The 24-year-old from Bradford, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was found guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court last month on three charges of causing the baby grievous bodily harm with intent. Sentencing him yesterday at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Christopher Batty said when the defendant was left alone with the baby for about 90 minutes on December 28, 2010, while her mother and grandmother were out, he lost his temper with his daughter.

The judge added: “You will have to live with the consequences of that hour for the rest of your life. Nobody knows except you what happened during the course of it.”

When his partner returned, the baby had a swelling to her head and was taken to hospital. She was found to have a fractured skull as a result of blunt trauma, three fractured ribs probably from squeezing and a broken ankle from a pulling and twisting motion. “You will have a considerable period to reflect on what you did, against a little baby two months old,” said the judge.

Matthew Bean, prosecuting, told the court doctors did not anticipate any long-term serious consequences for the girl. Tina Landale, for the father, said he still denied deliberately causing injuries. At his trial, he claimed he fell while holding the baby.

After the hearing, Detective Constable Donna Hector, of Bradford District Children’s Safeguarding Unit, said: “This was a horrendous attack on a two-month-old girl who had no way of defending herself against the superior strength of this man. He tried to hide his actions, blaming an accident for the severe injuries she had sustained.”