A High Wycombe man who left a baby with brain damage after “man-handling” her has avoided going to jail.
Carl Johnson, 28, of Crest Road in High Wycombe, admitted a charge of child cruelty and was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Appearing at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday, the court was told how in 2018, the defendant’s treatment of a baby resulted in her having seizures, with doctors discovering a bleed on the brain.
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Around the same time that this abuse took place, Johnson was seen in his home crouched on the ground and “growling”.
After the child was taken to hospital, doctors discovered that she had suffered a form of brain damage.
Experts ruled that the damage was “non-accidental” and that other injuries the baby sustained, including bruising, were “associated with shaking”.
Johnson’s defence barrister told the court that his client had been left “extremely distressed” by what had happened.
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He said: “He simply didn’t know he was capable of doing this.
“The consequences of his decision have been significant.”
The court heard how three years since the offending took place, the child is experiencing paralysis on one side of her body and has a language disorder.
Johnson, who also admitted to smoking cannabis close to the time when the offence took place, received little sympathy from judge Francis Sheridan.
He said: “If he’s still puffing away, he’ll take the consequences if he’s caught because they will be prison.
“Your manhandling had dreadful consequences, there were bruises, scratches and she was admitted to hospital suffering from a seizure which the experts thought might be life-threatening.”
As well as receiving a suspended sentence, Johnson was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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