A dad who shook his baby son in a drunken, drug‑fuelled rage, leaving him blind and brain‑damaged, has been jailed for four years.
Attack details
Christopher Yates, 30, of Morris Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, had been given custody of the seven‑month‑old just weeks before the attack. He downed 11 cans of lager and snorted cocaine before losing his temper when the baby cried. He shook the infant so violently that doctors compared the injuries to those suffered in high‑speed car crashes. Instead of seeking help, Yates ignored the baby for hours, even wrapping a towel around his head to drown out the cries, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Guilty plea and sentence
Yates pleaded guilty to causing a child to suffer serious physical harm and was sentenced to four years. Judge Julie Clemitson said: 'No sentence can undo any of the harm and distress to (the baby) and those who care about him. Their lives, and indeed yours, are changed irrevocably and forever.'
Background to the case
The baby was born in March last year and initially placed with foster carers. Yates gained custody after discovering he was the father, but family members noticed he was struggling. He had a history of alcohol and drug issues and an 'explosive temper' when drunk. Two weeks before the attack, relatives saw him intoxicated and struggling to care for the baby, but he did not seek help from social services.
The night of the attack
On the day before the assault, Yates dropped the baby with family and returned late after drinking and taking cocaine. The next morning at 8.15am he called 999 saying the baby was fitting. He initially claimed the baby had fallen from a rocking chair but later admitted shaking him five times while shouting 'shut the f*** up'. He then left the baby in his crib and spent an hour in the bathroom with a towel over his head.
Injuries and impact
Doctors found a bleed on the brain, seizures, widespread haemorrhaging to both eyes, bruises, and abdominal abrasions. The baby has lost his sight and will need medication for life. In a victim impact statement, the foster mother said: 'He suffered the most horrendous life-changing injuries at the hands of Christopher Yates... He has broken his brain, he has broken his life, he has broken everyone's hearts.'
Defence and judge's comments
Rachel Hedworth, defending, 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.' Judge Clemitson added: 'This sentence is not intended as a measure of the devastation that is done to his and (his foster parents') lives. No sentence could ever be such a measure.'
