Teen dad shook crying baby until newborn had brain damage - then blamed the dog

A young dad shook his crying baby until the newborn had irreparable brain damage and had the audacity to blame the family dog.

Dafydd Rutherford's shaking led his weeks-old infant to suffer multiple brain bleeds that have had life-long and devastating consequences, Swansea Crown Court heard. The court was told how Rutherford confessed to shaking his baby out of frustration and said it was not done to harm the child but was done instead to "stop the baby crying."

His defence lawyers said the offence was a result of "immaturity, impulsivity, and recklessness", stating that Rutherford, who was a teenager at the time, "simply wasn't ready for a child." Head scans revealed the baby suffered bleeding on the brain, which led to the involvement of police and social services.

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The court heard how the infant was rushed to the paediatric care unit at the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff. MRI scans showed bleeding on both sides of the brain around the spinal cord as well as damage to the brain due to being deprived of oxygen, Wales Onlinereported.

Rutherford initially denied having caused the injuries to his child and claimed the dog knocked over the baby's basket. The defendant then admitted he had become frustrated with the dog barking and the baby crying before confessing to shaking the infant "three or four times."

An impact statement from the baby's relatives read to the court described having felt as though they were "torn apart" while the defendant remained silent. They added that by failing to tell doctors, Rutherford had "chosen to help himself rather than help his [child.]"

Rutherford, 22, previously admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared for sentencing. Stuart John representing Rutherford, told the court that his client recognised he has inflicted "irreparable damage" upon his infant child as well as the entire family.

He added the crime came from a place of "immaturity, impulsivity, and recklessness" and said the defendant would be haunted by his actions for the rest of his life.

He said at the time of the incident he was a teenager who was "not ready for a child." Judge Catherine Richards told Rutherford that the baby had only been weeks old when he inflicted "devastating" injuries.

She said the defendant initially refused to take responsibility for the injuries before confessing he became frustrated by the dog and baby, resulting in him losing his temper.

Following a reduction for his guilty plea, Rutherford received a 28-month prison sentence. He will serve up to half of the term before being released on licence to complete the remainder in his community.