Father jailed for shaking baby to death

A father who shook his four-month-old baby to death because she wouldnt stop crying has been jailed after he was convicted of murder.

The jury at Truro Crown Court heard that Tony Allen, 28, suffered a sudden loss of control and vigorously shook his seven-week-old son Dominic.

"He shook him like a rag doll so the child's head flipped backwards and forwards as it was shaken", according to reports.

The child died in the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, on April 21, 2001. An autopsy carried out the following day showed he had suffered a 3cm bruise to the back of his head and brain haemorrhaging.

Mr Meeke said Allen shook his son for a second time on April 21, intending to cause the child serious injury. Medical staff at the hospital believed Dominic suffered a condition which caused him to be sick after eating.

Paramedics were called to the house where they tried to resuscitate the baby, who at this stage was limp and lifeless. Dominic was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital where a brain scan revealed internal bleeding.

During the trial Allen said he loved his son "more than anything" and had not killed him. He denied murder and another charge of manslaughter.

Allen said he and Sherrie were "over the moon" when she became pregnant. He had decorated a bedroom and collected soft toys for the baby, the court heard.

Allen told his counsel, Paul Dunkels QC, that he had not shaken the baby before he was taken ill, had not struck his head with or against anything, and had not thrown him on to the floor or a chair.

Under cross-examination by Mr Meeke, Allen agreed that Dominic had been a "whingy, grizzling baby" but said he had not "lost his cool".

Father jailed for shaking baby to death

A father who shook his four-month-old baby to death because she wouldnt stop crying has been jailed after he was convicted of murder.

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