A young father has been accused of shaking his baby so violently that he caused severe brain injuries, then lied to doctors and police, blaming the family dog. Dafydd Rutherford’s actions led to his weeks-old infant suffering multiple brain bleeds with devastating and life-long consequences, Swansea Crown Court heard.
The court was told that Rutherford eventually confessed to shaking his baby out of frustration, claiming he didn’t intend to harm his child but wanted to “stop [the baby] crying”. His defence argued that the offence was a result of “immaturity, impulsivity, and recklessness”, stating that Rutherford, who was a teenager at the time, “simply wasn’t ready for a child.”
Prosecutor Megan Williams informed the court that medical staff at Morriston Hospital raised the alarm after the injured infant was brought in from their home in Swansea. Initially, the child was observed to have a series of parallel bruises on the chest and appeared “pale” in colour before suffering a seizure.
Subsequent head scans revealed areas of bleeding on the brain, prompting the involvement of police and social services. The court heard that the infant was urgently transferred to the paediatric care unit at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. MRI scans there showed bleeding on both sides of the brain, around the spinal cord, and damage to the brain due to oxygen deprivation, reports Wales Online. The prosecutor stated that both parents of the baby were subsequently arrested.
The court was told that during several police interviews, Rutherford initially denied causing the injuries to his child, claiming the dog had knocked over the baby’s basket. He stated he had picked up the infant and when they fell asleep, he put the child down before going into the kitchen. The defendant subsequently admitted he had grown frustrated with the dog’s barking and the baby’s crying, confessing to shaking the infant “three or four times”.
The prosecutor revealed the defendant told officers “he didn’t wish to hurt [the child] he simply wished to stop [them] crying”. For all the latest court stories sign up to our crime newsletter. The court was informed the victim has suffered developmental delays due to brain injuries sustained.
In an impact statement from the baby’s relatives read to the court, they described being “torn apart” whilst the defendant stayed silent about his actions. They stated that by failing to immediately tell doctors what had actually occurred so proper treatment could be administered, Rutherford had “chosen to help himself rather than help his [child.]”. Dafydd Rutherford, now 22, had previously admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
He has no prior convictions. Stuart John, representing Rutherford, told the court his client recognises he has inflicted “irreparable damage” upon his infant child and the entire family. He explained the crime stemmed from “immaturity, impulsivity, and recklessness” and would haunt the defendant for the remainder of his days. He emphasised that at the time of the incident, his client was merely a teenager who “was not ready for a child”.
Judge Catherine Richards informed Rutherford that his baby had been merely weeks old when he inflicted “devastating” injuries in what is commonly described as “shaken baby syndrome”. She noted the defendant had initially refused responsibility for the injuries before later confessing he had become frustrated by the dog barking and the infant crying, subsequently losing his temper.
She highlighted that Rutherford’s initial denial of the assault meant doctors were left uncertain about the nature of the injuries, whilst suspicion was cast upon other family members – a significant aggravating element in the case. Following a reduction for his guilty plea, Rutherford received a 28-month prison sentence. He will serve up to half the term behind bars before being released on licence to complete the remainder in the community.
