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Father's jail term doubled for shaking baby
29 Oct
Summary
- Father jailed for shaking baby six months old.
- Baby sustained severe brain injury and blindness.
- Judge's sentence increased from four to six years.
A father, Christopher Yates, has had his prison sentence significantly increased after permanently disabling his infant son by shaking him. Originally sentenced to four years, Yates will now serve six years following an appeal by the Solicitor General. The Court of Appeal found the initial sentence to be unduly lenient given the severity of the injuries.
Yates shook his six-month-old son violently after consuming cocaine and a substantial amount of lager. The baby suffered a severe brain injury, resulting in blindness and likely lifelong mobility issues. Authorities were alerted six hours after the incident, with Yates falsely claiming the child had fallen.
Concerns had been raised about Yates's ability to care for the child, noting the home environment and his frustration. Despite these issues and his diagnosed mental health conditions, the sentencing judge's reduction was deemed excessive by the appeal court, which emphasized the catastrophic harm caused by the significant force used against the vulnerable infant.
