Wednesday, October 7, 2015

After being alone with baby for just 90 minutes, dad kills 11-week-old son (United Kingdom)

Dad is identified as JORDAN SAXTON.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/05/father-jordan-saxton-jailed-manslaughter-baby-son-after-violently-shaking-him

Father jailed for manslaughter of baby son after violently shaking him

Jordan Saxton is cleared of murder but receives nine-year sentence after his 11-week-old son was left with ‘catastrophic’ brain injury and 18 fractures

Jordan Saxton claimed he had been feeding his son when he began to choke and stopped breathing. Monday 5 October 2015 13.01 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 6 October 2015 09.30 EDT

A young father killed his 11-week-old baby son by shaking him so violently that he suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury and 18 bone fractures.

Jordan Saxton, 22, had been left with baby Jayden for just 90 minutes when he attacked his son, damaging his head, legs and ribs, and blinding him because of damage he caused to blood vessels in the child’s eyes.

Saxton was jailed for nine years on Monday after a jury at Oxford crown court cleared him of murder but convicted him of manslaughter.

The jury was told by paramedics giving evidence that the injuries would have required “considerable force”, similar to that of a high-speed car crash.

The boy died two days after the attack in November last year.

Throughout the trial Saxton maintained his innocence and said he had been feeding his son at their home when he began to choke and stopped breathing.

However, doctors and paramedics saw no evidence of choking or food caught in his throat.

Paul Dunkels, prosecuting, said Saxton attacked Jayden because the child would not settle. He said:

“No doubt in an act of frustration with him because he would not settle, [Saxton] gripped him forcibly around the chest and shook him.”

Dunkels said Saxton had been looking after the boy at home in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, by himself because the child’s mother, Tracy, was visiting her father.

The prosecutor said: “She left at about 4.30pm. When she left there was no bruising and Jayden was behaving normally. The events must have happened after she left and Jayden was in the defendant’s care.”

Giving evidence, the boy’s mother said Saxton cheated on her while she was pregnant but was a “changed man” who doted on his first-born son.

She said she had “no concerns” over the way Saxton handled or looked after Jayden before his death.