Man inflicted catastrophic injuries while shaking baby before trying to blame his mother

[ad_1]

Joshua Moody has spent more than three years claiming he was not behind the violent assaults on the seven-week-old baby. (SWNS)

A man has been jailed after shaking a newborn boy so violently that he caused “catastrophic” injuries, leaving the infant’s brain permanently damaged.

Joshua Moody, 25, has persistently denied causing injury to the baby while family members of the little boy were arrested.

Moody’s violent assault on the seven-week-old has left him in need of 24-hour care for the rest of his life, Leeds Crown Court has learned.

The 25-year-old claimed he was unaware he caused the injuries, adding that they were caused by ‘rough handling’ of the baby and ‘instant loss of anger’, which he now regrets .

Read: “I wanted to die”: TV paramedic recounts when a knife launched a frantic attack that almost killed her

Craig Hassall, the prosecutor, told the court that an ambulance was called to a house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in the summer of 2017 after the baby was reported unconscious.

The boy then stopped breathing and Moody and other adults on the property were asked to perform CPR until paramedics arrived.

It was discovered that he had suffered cardiac arrest and was taken to Pinderfields Hospital and later transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

He was also discovered to have six broken ribs, one of which was starting to heal, suggesting it had been damaged in a previous assault.

He was jailed in May after finally admitting two counts of causing grievous bodily harm without intent, and this can now be reported after a court order is lifted.

The boy, who cannot be identified, had multiple injuries, including bleeding in various parts of his body, including his spine and behind both eyes.

He was not believed to survive and his family were told to prepare for the worst.

But he started to improve over the weeks and was finally able to breathe on his own, despite sustaining serious injuries.

Watch: Death of Caroline Crouch: Husband placed baby next to British woman he murdered

The story continues

His vision and hearing are impaired, he is unable to speak, is not mobile, has epilepsy and cerebral palsy.

The court heard he would likely need 24/7 care for the rest of his life.

Moody was charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and was due to be tried, but earlier this year he admitted to sustaining grievous bodily harm without intent.

Judge Penelope Belcher said he could have saved years of grief for the youngster’s family if only he “had the courage” to admit his crimes.

The court heard that Moody’s persistent attempts to clear itself of blame led to the arrest of the baby’s mother and grandmother.

The baby’s mother, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, described it as a “nightmare journey” that lasted almost four years.

Mitigatingly, Christopher Dunn described Moody – who was 22 at the time – as a “painfully inadequate man”.

He said: “One of the most shameful acts is to hurt a child, whether it be deliberate or accidental. He absolutely accepts that he caused the injuries.

“He’s heartbroken that he could have done this. It might not resonate with the family, but he has to live with it for the rest of his life.”

Watch: Child removed from wreckage in Miami building as rescue efforts continue

[ad_2]