MAN JAILED FOR SHAKING AND KILLING HIS BABY SON
A man who shook and killed his baby son in a fit of rage because he would not feed has been jailed for seven years and three months.David Sinclair shook four-month-old Joshua in a "momentary loss of control" at their home in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, on 6 December 2012.
The cause of death was only uncovered after a case review by medical experts.
Sinclair, 34, initially faced murder charges but pleaded guilty to culpable homicide.
At the High Court in Glasgow, judge Lord Bracadale sentenced Sinclair, stating: "You assaulted your baby son by shaking him, causing the injuries which killed him.
You must have known at the time you had shaken him, but you did not disclose that.
It was only after extensive medical investigations you admitted what you had done." He added: "The effects of Joshua's death have been 'catastrophic' for all concerned and nothing can bring Joshua back." The court recounted that on the day of the incident, Sinclair and his wife Kirsty had taken Joshua swimming and shopping in East Kilbride.
Later, she went to meet her mother and sister at 5:30 p.m.
Approximately 11 minutes afterward, Sinclair called her, sounding "shocked", saying "Joshua isn't breathing properly, come home right away," before dialing 999.
The infant was rushed to Hairmyres Hospital where he later succumbed.
Initial investigations couldn't determine the cause of death.
A review by medical experts revealed trauma in Joshua's eyes and brain, indicative of non-accidental injury, specifically a shaking injury involving forceful handling.
One expert, Dr.
Peter Richards, a paediatric neuro-surgeon at Oxford, commented: "This would be compatible with him having suffered a shaking injury involving handling at greater force than encountered in everyday life." Defense QC Ian Duguid expressed that Sinclair was "extremely remorseful" for his actions.
