Dad charged with assaulting 3-month-old daughter (Northern Ireland)

UNNAMED DAD. The circumstances behind why Daddy was "left alone" with the baby are not explained. Was he "caretaking" while the mother was out? Was this a child access situation? We're obviously not told. But notice the abuser Daddy Coddling here: Daddy has been allowed to "visit" the baby he assaulted in the hospital. Hope somebody is keeping a tight eye on him. You know, in case the poor darling gets "frustrated" again, and decides that an infant is a suitable punching bag.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26083017

7 February 2014 Last updated at 08:05

Father charged with assaulting baby

A 23-year-old man has appeared in court charged with causing grievous bodily harm to his three-month-old daughter.

The baby is in a critical condition in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.

The child was brought to the hospital on Wednesday from a house on the outskirts of west Belfast.

Relatives of the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wept as details of the case were outlined at Craigavon Magistrates Court, County Armagh.

A defence lawyer told the court that relatives on both sides of his family had made clear their support.

'Shaking'

He said his client had been left alone with the baby girl on Wednesday morning.

The lawyer said the accused had found the child in some sort of medical distress and had "taken actions" to try to help her.

The court heard that the man later admitted to hospital staff that these actions had included shaking the little girl.

It was following this admission that the police were called and the man was arrested.

The defence lawyer said that, during two days of questioning, his client had insisted that his actions had seemed reasonable in the circumstances.

He said there was no eyewitness and the case would hinge on medical opinion that has yet to be provided.

Granting bail despite police objections, the judge said that the accused had already been granted compassionate bail to visit his daughter in hospital.

The judge added that the original charge of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent had been reduced to GBH.

The accused is to appear in court again in Lisburn, Count Antrim, on 17 February.