Dad jailed for beating 10-week-old son to death (Dorsett, England, United Kingdom)

Dad CRAIG TATTUM has been convicted of manslaughter in the shaking death of his 10-month-old son, and has been jailed for 5 years. Seems Daddy had consumed a bottle of vodka before killing the child. We've reported on this dad before.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/8499873.stm

Father who beat baby son to death in Dorset jailed

Craig Tattum denied manslaughter following the death of his son

A Dorset man who beat his 10-week-old baby son to death after drinking a bottle of vodka has been jailed for five years.

When Ethan Tattum died at his home in at Gordon Road, in Wimborne, on 4 July 2008 he weighed less than 6lbs (2.7kg).

His injuries were so severe medical experts said he must have been punched, slapped or hit against a hard surface.

Craig Tattum, 35, denied manslaughter but was found guilty on 15 December at Winchester Crown Court.

'Hysterical manner'

At the trial last year Mr Tattum admitted drinking a 70cl bottle of vodka on the evening of his son's death.

The court heard from medical experts who said Ethan had probably also been vigorously shaken.
Jane Miller QC, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court that at 0100 BST Tattum's wife, Louise, had dialled 999.

She told ambulance control that Ethan had stopped breathing.

Ms Miller said Tattum was heard in a distressed state in the background.

When paramedics arrived he smelled of alcohol and was acting in a hysterical manner.

Majority verdict

The ambulance crew called police officers to help because Mr Tattum was acting "aggressively" and getting in the way as they tried to resuscitate his son, the jury heard.

Ethan was taken to Poole Hospital but died at 0200 BST.

Ms Miller said hospital staff also noticed Mr Tattum behaving strangely before he was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter later than night.

After nearly three days of deliberations, the jury found Tattum guilty by a majority verdict of 10-2.