LOUGHBOROUGH FATHER JAILED FOR SHAKING DEATH OF BABY DAUGHTER
A father named Wayne Robertson has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after admitting he shook his 10-week-old baby daughter to death.The incident occurred in 2006 when the baby, Lila Robertson, suffered brain and eye injuries and died three days after being admitted to hospital.
The court was informed that Robertson became frustrated with what he called her "whingey" mood and shook her after she was crying.
The court was told she became "floppy, pale and unresponsive," leading to her death.
Robertson changed his plea to manslaughter just before a jury was due to be sworn in for a murder trial.
Judge Julia Macur acknowledged that Robertson was sometimes a loving and caring father but emphasized the court's role in protecting vulnerable children, stating, "Her life was precious and it was brought to a premature end at ten weeks of age." The court heard Robertson shook Lila after she was crying, which resulted in her injuries.
Robertson's barrister explained that he accepted he caused harm but did not intend to, citing his "inability" to gauge her needs due to his intellect.
The article notes that Robertson was the sole offender in this case, and the outcome was a prison sentence.
