Christopher Yates, 27, of Morris Road, Swalwell, Gateshead, drank 11 cans of Foster's lager and snorted a line of cocaine before losing his temper and violently shaking his seven-month-old son. The attack left the baby blind with catastrophic brain damage, injuries compared to those from a high-speed road accident. Yates only called an ambulance several hours later and lied to doctors about the cause.
Yates had gained custody of his son just three weeks and four days before the attack in October last year. The baby had been placed with foster carers since birth. On the night of the attack, the infant woke at 2am and cried continuously. Yates held him at arm's length and shook him five times while shouting "shut the f*** up". He then put the baby in his crib and went to the bathroom for an hour, wrapping a towel around his head to block out the crying.
Delayed medical treatment
Yates called the ambulance service at 8.15am, hours after the attack. At the hospital, he initially said the baby had suffered a fit, then changed his story to claim the infant had fallen from a rocking chair. A CT scan later revealed a bleed on the brain, seizures, and widespread haemorrhaging to both eyes. The baby also had bruises on his chin, a faint purple mark on his nose, prominent blood vessels in both eyes, and abrasions on his abdominal wall. Doctors were unsure if he would survive.
Family's concerns
Family members were aware of Yates' alcohol problems. Two weeks before the attack, they saw he was struggling to care for the baby, appearing angry and occasionally intoxicated. They advised him to seek help from social services, but he did not. On one visit, a family member found the baby undressed, the home messy with dirty nappies and empty alcohol cans. Yates was heard shouting angrily at the baby, calling him a "little s***". When challenged about his drinking, he said "I can do whatever I want". Yates told his family he did not think he could cope and might have to give the baby back, but he did not seek help.
Day before the attack
The day before the attack, Yates dropped the baby off with family members at the Metrocentre, asking them to look after him for longer than planned. He was under the influence of alcohol and had taken cocaine when he later met them. He returned home with the baby and the following morning called for help.
Victim impact statement
In a victim impact statement, the baby's foster mother said he had been with them from birth and "melted our hearts". She said: "If we had known what we know now, we would never have let him go. [Yates] was the one person who should have loved and cared for him." She added: "He suffered the most horrendous life-changing injuries at the hands of Christopher Yates. We didn't know if he was going to survive but he is a little fighter. 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." The baby is now back with the foster family.
Sentencing and background
Yates, who has eight previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing a child to suffer serious physical harm. Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced him to four years in prison, stating: "The episode of shaking is described as exacting the sort of force expected in a high velocity road accident. Yet it was several hours later you took him to hospital." She added that the effect of the offending had been "catastrophic". The judge 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. [He] will never live the life he should have lived."
Defending barrister Rachel Hedworth said Yates had been subjected to violence as a child and has mental health issues. She 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. When asked by me why he didn't raise it with professionals that he couldn't cope with looking after the baby, he said he was terrified the baby would be taken from him. He didn't anticipate he would lose control in the way he did on that particular day. He is sad and sorry."
