Judge Rules Father Responsible for Son’s Serious Injuries

A judge determined that a father either dropped or shook his infant son, subsequently attempting to conceal the incident by claiming he was too intoxicated to recall what occurred. The father was identified as the sole adult caregiver for the boy when he sustained severe head injuries, which necessitated multiple surgical procedures. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead initiated legal proceedings to ascertain responsibility for the baby’s injuries, resulting in the child being placed in temporary foster care. Judge Richard Case stated that the father “engaged in a deliberate and cynical attempt” to avoid admitting his actions. Slough Family Court heard that the father’s dishonesty during investigations was “extensive,” and the judge remarked that he “could place no weight at all” on what he told him. The court was informed that the father was caring for the baby because his partner, the boy’s mother, was elsewhere. The man was characterized as a habitual cocaine user who claimed to sometimes consume up to 30 cans of beer per week. He asserted an inability to recall what had injured his son, even after it became evident days later that the child was seriously hurt. Penny Howe KC, representing the boy’s mother, informed the court that the man’s actions were “unforgivable.” She further stated that his actions unfairly cast suspicion on other individuals “all because [he] was too cowardly to own his own behaviours and accept responsibility.”