BABY SHAKE

Dad shook his four-month-old baby so hard he left her blind and with cerebral palsy

A DAD shook his four-month-old daughter so hard he left her blind and with cerebral palsy.

The 24-year-old had been left alone with the child while her mum went to work.

He admitted causing grievous bodily harm after she was found to have multiple brain bleeds.

She had been shaken so hard her retinas detached and left medics fearing she would die in hospital.

Neighbours told they heard shouting from the Redruth, Cornwall, address in August 2018.

Truro Crown Court heard there had been concerns about the dad's drug and alcohol use.

Prosecutor Michael Brown said:"The combination of injuries were indicative of abusive head trauma with shaking the most likely mechanism."

The defendant - who cannot be named because it would identify the child - denied injuring her until he confessed to a legal representative at a later family hearing.

Restricted by sentencing guidelines for causing GBH, Judge Robert Linford jailed him for 32 months.

He said: "It's a miracle she did not die but she is now blind and has cerebral palsy all because you shook her.

"You withheld the information and did so because you were scared.

"At this most crucial of times you were more concerned for your future than the health of your own child.

"You were caring for her. Your daughter should have been safe but was not."