Christopher Yates, 30, of Morris Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, has been jailed for four years after shaking his seven-month-old son with such force that the baby suffered catastrophic injuries including blindness and brain damage. The attack occurred in October last year, less than four weeks after Yates regained custody of the child.
The Attack
Yates had consumed 11 cans of Foster's lager and snorted a line of cocaine. When the baby woke for a 2am feed and cried continuously, Yates shook him five times while screaming "shut the f*** up". He then placed the baby back in the crib and went to the bathroom for an hour with a towel around his head to block out the cries. He did not seek medical help until several hours later, initially lying to paramedics before admitting he had shaken the baby.
Medical experts later described the injuries as similar to those seen in high-speed collisions, according to Newcastle Crown Court. The baby suffered a bleed on the brain, seizures, widespread haemorrhaging to both eyes, bruises to his chin, a faint purple mark on the bridge of his nose, prominent blood vessels in both eyes, and abrasions on his abdominal wall. For a time it was unclear if he would survive.
Custody and Warning Signs
The baby was born in March last year and was immediately taken into care, placed with foster carers. When Yates learned he was the father, he successfully gained custody, describing having the "best of intentions" but underestimating how difficult it would be. Family members had raised concerns about his alcohol use during the assessment period, and two weeks before the attack they noticed he was struggling, appeared angry with the baby, and was often intoxicated.
On one occasion, a relative found the baby undressed in a disarrayed home with dirty nappies and empty alcohol cans. Yates was heard shouting angrily at the baby and referring to him as a "little s***". When the relative questioned his drinking, Yates snapped: "I can do whatever I want." He began telling family he might have to give the baby back but did not seek help from social services or the foster parents.
Impact and Sentencing
The baby's foster mother said in a victim impact statement: "He has lost his sight now and he will be on medication for the rest of his life. Christopher Yates has robbed this little boy of the life he should have had... He has broken his brain, he has broken his life, he has broken everyone's hearts. All he had to do was phone us and we would have been straight there."
Judge Julie Clemitson said: "The episode of shaking is described as exacting the sort of force expected in a high-velocity road accident... Simply put, the effect of this offending has been catastrophic." She added: "No sentence can undo any of the harm and distress to (the baby) and those who care about him."
Yates pleaded guilty to causing a child to suffer serious physical harm. His defence barrister, Rachel Hedworth, said: "He is unable to put into words how utterly sickened he is by his own behaviour. He was simply not equipped with the life skills to cope with the responsibilities of looking after a tiny baby." She noted Yates had suffered violence as a child and has mental health issues.
