Thomas Morgan, 29, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 19 years for the murder of his girlfriend's five-month-old son, Jensen-Lee Dougal. The attack occurred at the family home in Swansea on March 30, 2024, while the baby's mother, Jordan Dougal, was at work.
The court heard that Morgan shook Jensen-Lee so violently that he caused catastrophic injuries, including brain damage, numerous fractures, and extensive retinal bleeding to both eyes. Experts described the injuries as the worst they had ever seen. Morgan had lost his temper after an argument with his ex-partner, Georgia Griffiths, earlier that day.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Dougal said she suffered 'overwhelming grief, trauma, and emotional pain' and expressed distress that Morgan held a gender reveal party with his new partner on the anniversary weekend of her son's death. She said, 'I never had the chance to hear my son say he loved me... He was taken from me.'
Prosecutor Caroline Rees KC said Morgan 'seriously abused the trust placed in him' and was 'full of rage' after the dispute. Morgan initially claimed the baby had choked and stopped breathing, but he was found guilty of murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial at Swansea Crown Court.
Sentencing, Mrs Justice Stacey told Morgan: 'We have no way of knowing exactly what happened as you have lied to the police and to everyone... The violent shaking... may have been very brief, but it was hard enough to cause his extensive internal head injuries that caused his death.'
