A FATHER who caused "catastrophic brain injuries" to his newborn baby has gone on trial for manslaughter following the child's death 12 years later.
Allan Young, 36, of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, shook five-week-old Michael Winn in 1998, leaving him "severely disabled", a court heard.
A year later, he admitted causing grievous bodily harm but when Michael died in 2011, he was further charged with manslaughter.
Michael's death was a direct result of the injuries he suffered years earlier which caused cerebral palsy and curvature of the spine, the Old Bailey heard.
His development was impaired to such an extent he had trouble breathing, was blind, incontinent and could not speak, jurors were told.
Following the assault, he was assessed as having a 65% chance of surviving to the age of 11, the court heard.
At the time of his death, his adoptive mother described him as having the functioning age of six weeks, the court heard.
Prosecutor Zoe Johnson QC said Young did not mean to cause serious harm but the evidence would show he was responsible for Michael's death.
Young was unemploy-ed and living with his partner Erica Francis in north-west London, when he shook his baby on April 16 1998, the court heard.
When Miss Francis, then 17, woke up later that day, she noticed Michael was "all floppy", Ms Johnson said.
At first, she thought he had caught flu from her, but the next day he was still being sick.
She decided to call the health visitor, but before she could, Young admitted he "may have hurt Michael" and shaken him because he would not stop crying, the court heard.
Both parents were arrested and Young was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.
On January 11 2011, his adoptive mother Karen Heppleston-Winn saw Michael's breathing had stopped. He died later on January 23 2011, aged 12.
A post-mortem examination found he died of "respiratory insufficiency caused by pneumonia and the marked curvature of the spine" as a result of the injuries suffered as a young infant, Ms Johnson said.
Young denies manslaughter. The trial continues.
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