A dad who killed his two-month-old daughter by shaking her with ‘severe and excessive’ force has been jailed for eight years.
James Ring caused a fatal brain injury to baby Aria when he lost his temper in frustration.
Despite repeatedly denying killing the infant, claiming Aria had suddenly gone limp for no reason, he finally admitted manslaughter.
A court heard that two weeks before the baby died, the 21-year-old had swung his hand back and struck her to the back of her head as she lay on a changing mat.
On that occasion, her mother immediately stepped in – only to be told by Ring that he was simply winding her.
However, he later admitted he hit her because he was ‘a little frustrated’ by her crying.
But having shaken her on January 7 last year, he claimed the tiny baby, weighing just 7lb 9oz, had simply gone limp as he cradled her in his arm while trying to bottle feed her.
Maidstone Crown Court in Kent heard he denied in repeated interviews with police that he had either hit, dropped or shaken her.
Despite medical evidence to the contrary, Ring kept up his pretence until just days before his trial was due to start .
Having denied charges of murder and manslaughter, Ring finally confessed to shaking his daughter in the 17-minute period they were alone together.
His plea of guilty to manslaughter was accepted by the prosecution.
