PRISON FOR CHILD CRUELTY CASE COUPLE
A MOTHER who waited 18 hours to call for medical help after her boyfriend violently shook their baby son is to have her new-born child taken away.Laura Richards, 24, is also planning to take steps to make sure she does not have more children.
Richards and her boyfriend, Paul Burns, 28, were both jailed at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.
The couple, of Westfields Court, Richmond, North Yorkshire, had returned home in the early hours of August 8, 2004, after spending the night drinking at an outdoor music festival.
Burns lost patience with their son, three-week-old Liam Richards, when he would not stop crying.
He shook him, causing serious brain injuries.
Liam, now aged 22 months, is unlikely to be able to walk unaided and suffers from epilepsy.
His sight has also been affected.
He will need to attend a special school, and is unlikely to ever lead an independent life.
He will need to attend a special school, and is unlikely to ever lead an independent life.
Yesterday, Teesside Crown Court heard that Richards was scared to call for medical help because her four-year-old daughter from a previous relationship had been taken away by social services.
It was 18 hours before she sought assistance.
By that time, Liam was having fits and was barely conscious.
Dan Cordey, defending Richards, told the court that she is pregnant with her third child, which will be taken into care when it is born.
He said: "Really, what happens today to Laura Richards is the lesser punishment for her.
She believes she is not cut out to be a mother.
As a result of this, her daughter has gone back to her paternal grandparents and she has no contact.
With regard to Liam, she has essentially ruined his life.
She feels extremely guilty about what happened, and she tells me that that will live with her for the rest of her life.
She is pregnant once again.
That child will not remain with her, there will be care proceedings.
Essentially, she has lost three children.
All she can think of doing is to move away and try to piece her life back together.
Mr Cordey added: "She wants to take steps to make sure that she does not have any more children." Anthony Braithwaite, defending Burns, said: "I have been asked to express the horror that he has at the state of Liam.
There was absolutely no intent by him to injure his son.
Burns was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm following a seven-day trial in April.
The couple were also found guilty of child cruelty by neglect by not seeking immediate medical attention.
Burns was jailed for four years and Richards for 12 months.
