'Despicable' Wakefield parents inflicted cruel injuries on 20-month-old baby then blamed each other

The tot suffered a fractured skull, a bleed to the brain, multiple broken vertebrae to his back, blood in his spinal canal, a fracture to his shoulder blade and extensive bruising to his head, chest and back.

They only took him to hospital after they inflicted a serious fracture to his arm, with both bones severed in two places. The 30-year-old mother claimed the tot had fallen down the stairs, with the 31-year-old father later claiming he had rolled off the table while he was changing him.

But medical experts said the injuries were inconsistent with their claims, and were caused by “violent shaking” and from being dropped from a height onto either his head or bottom.

The couple, who cannot be named to protect the child’s identity, are from the Wakefield district and both admitted causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm at Leeds Crown Court.

Judge Ray Singh told them: “Neither of you are prepared to admit who caused these injuries. You both know who caused them. You were blaming each other, a wholly despicable position to take.

"There‘s very little remorse either of you exhibit in this case.

"The prosecution are unable to prove at whose hands the injuries were inflicted, but it really matters very little. You are both responsible equally. It was constant abuse of an obscene nature on a child.”

Addressing the parents’ differing accounts, he added: “It was complete and utter nonsense. It was a defenceless child. He should have been loved, cared for and nurtured. You have deprived him of that. It was serious cruelty.”

Prosecutor Mark Kellet said after the catalogue of horrific injuries were found, the couple were arrested. They also spoke with neighbour and family members about their behaviour with the child.

One neighbour said they spoke to the mother after she had been released after questioning and appeared to crying “with no tears”, suggesting it was as facade. Others said they had heard the child crying in the bathroom and that they saw the father smoking cannabis while looking after the child.

Another overheard the dad shout at the the baby: “Shut the f*** up you little c***. You horrible little s***.”

They had also Googled about injuries when they thought they had broken the child’s arm, but did not take him to A&E immediately.

Mitigating for the mother, Matthew Harding admitted she had “minimised” her involvement, but only because she had difficulty in accepting her culpability. For the father, Anastasis Tasou had no experience of looking after a child and was “put in a difficult situation”.

The mother also admitted a charge of stealing a BMW from her friend while she was out on bail for the cruelty offence. The woman had let her stay at her home, claiming she was the victim domestic abuse, but then stole the car and other items from her, including a laptop and iPhone.

The mother was jailed for 69 months, with the father receiving 63 months.