Your viewing articles about; David Goodin
Claire Thompson guilty of GBH to Baby but spared jail
April 25, 2009 by Baby Chums
Filed under News
Claire Thompson, of Sudbury, Suffolk, UK, was found guilty in March of GBH, (Grievous Bodily Harm) to a baby in her care. Fracturing the baby’s skull, causing a rib fracture and up to three leg fractures but has been spared jail by a compassionate judge.
At Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, the 32-year-old was handed a nine-month suspended prison sentence and told she must carry out 200 hours of community service.
Judge David Goodin had been told that Thompson had “lost everything” following the incident said to her in passing sentence that she had already suffered more than any sentence the court could impose on her.
He added: “All evidence simply confirms you to be an industrious, decent and placid well-liked young woman who was slow to anger and disinclined to confrontation,”
“The only sensible explanation for these injuries must have been a sudden and momentary loss of control.”
Thompson was found guilty at the end of March of causing GBH to a baby that she was looking after. However, she was found not guilty of intentionally causing the injuries.
Claire Thompson denied both charges, she admitted that she was one of three people who could have caused them in the eyes of the law.
The court heard yesterday from Lindsay Cox, representing Thompson, who told how his client was unlikely to appear before the court again. He also spoke of the effect the incident had had.
“She was engaged and lost that,” he said. “The home that she had with a former partner was again lost to her. She was working in the retail industry in a job that would bring her into contact with children. Although she has not been told that she is fired, she has not gone back to work, and I cannot in all honestly think that she could keep that appointment.”
At Thompson’s trial an expert told how the skull fracture was likely to have been caused by the baby’s head hitting a hard surface with force and the broken rib was likely to have been caused by severe squeezing. The leg fractures were said to have been caused by forceful pulling or twisting or violent shaking.
Thompson was also told that she must pay £500 towards prosecution costs.
Welcome back! If you love Baby Chums, please subscribe to our RSS feed.
Thanks for dropping by and enjoy!
