Leamington man guilty of child cruelty

Samuel Robbins, 21, who now lives in Fallow Hill, Leamington, but lived in Warwick at the time, had denied the charge, but was found guilty by a jury at Warwick Crown Court last Thursday.

Prosecutor Matthew Barnes said the incident had happened more than three years ago in May 2010, when the baby was about six months old.

Mr Barnes said the little boy had severe bruising to both cheeks and a torn upper frenulum – the membrane between the upper lip and the gum.

Robbins had called 999 and told the emergency service operator that he had been asleep with the baby and that he had moved and caught him in the face accidentally.

“It was clear from what he said that he was concerned about the condition of the baby, and yet at the same time did not seem to want the baby to go to hospital,” said Mr Barnes.

He said Robbins “must have realised the baby was potentially badly hurt” and eventually he was persuaded to take him to A&E at Warwick Hospital.

Consultant paediatrician Dr John Davies examined the baby and noted “fresh bruises to the face on both the left and right cheeks and bleeding to the upper frenulum”.

And Mr Barnes told the jury: “Dr Davies was told Mr Robbins’s explanation that it had been an accident when he and the baby were sleeping.

“The doctor’s opinion is that that was unlikely because the bruising to both cheeks was bilateral, yet there was no injury to the nose.”

The doctor’s conclusion was that the injury was not an accident, but Mr Barnes added: “We are not saying the injuries were caused deliberately.

“If somebody recklessly causes an injury in a loss of temper, they would be guilty of assault – and that is what Mr Robbins is charged with”.

After the jury returned its unanimous verdict, Judge Alan Parker pointed out that Robbins is also due to be sentenced with two other men for a robbery he was convicted of following a trial last month.

He adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and for both matters to be listed together, and Robbins was granted bail.