A Barrow man has been jailed for 14 years for an assault that left a baby with life-changing injuries. 

Callum Crowe was sentenced today (June 10) at Preston Crown Court for Section 18 GBH and child neglect.

Crowe, 23, of Richmond Terrace, was found guilty at an earlier trial for offences connected to an assault that occurred in Barrow in late 2016. The victim of the assault suffered multiple fractures to the skull along with extensive bleeding on the brain and facial bruising.

At Preston Crown Court last month Crowe's co-defendant 23-year-old Abigail Wood was sentenced after a jury had found her guilty of child neglect.

Prosecutor Nicola Gatto described how the eight-week-old baby, whose identity is protected, has been left with permanent brain damage and is highly likely to develop epilepsy as a result of the attack carried out on him by Crowe in December 2016.

“He went to Abigail Wood and appeared panicky, pale and anxious when he told her the baby had hit its head on Crowe’s collarbone,” Miss Gatto said.

“The baby had bruising on three different planes of its skull.”

Crowe has never revealed how the baby came about the injuries but specialists who testified at his trial described them as being “consistent with being dropped on its head from a first floor mezzanine”.

Miss Gatto described how Crowe, of Richmond Terrace, had “controlled and manipulated” Wood to the extent where she waited two days before seeking help for the baby’s injuries.

When the baby was finally taken to Furness General Hospital on Saturday December 17 in 2016, it was diagnosed as having suffered a skull fracture, brain haemorrhage and also had historical injuries including broken ribs.

Wood began sobbing during yesterday’s hearing when the judge, Graham Knowles QC, indicated the starting point for sentencing was one year in custody.

“Today I have seen something I’ve never seen from her before,” the judge said.

“She has displayed emotion for the first time.

“This was an eight-week-old baby; you had to get medical attention but you didn’t.”

Detective Inspector Jason McKenna said: “This was an incredibly emotive case for all concerned. I would like to thank the jury for the way they listened to the facts put before them and deliberated carefully in coming to their verdicts.

“The victim is left with life-changing injuries from this incident. Offences of this nature to a child so young are heart-breaking.  

“I would like to thank all the witnesses who have helped police and also the officers involved in this case who completed a professional and diligent investigation, resulting in a justified conviction. 

"We are pleased we have been able to provide justice."