Father, 27, 'killed his five-month-old son by shaking him as his mother was buying Christening clothes'

LEE

A father fatally shook his baby boy while his mother was buying Christening clothes, a court heard today.
Lee Clark, 27, is accused of injuring five-month-old Charlee and causing brain damage while the baby's mother Natalie Holmes was shopping, a jury was told.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Charlee was 'smiling' and 'happy' when Natalie left the family home for Darlington, County Durham, on February 25, 2011 at around 10.45am.
But when she returned to the home Gainford, County Durham, at 3pm, the baby, who was due to baptized two days later, was making a 'funny groaning sound', his 'eyes were rolling backwards' and he had bruises on each knee.
Charlee was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital where it was obvious he was 'extremely ill', the court was told.
He was given oxygen and a brain scan during which Clark asked a nurse if Charlee's injuries could have been caused by 'shaking a baby', the jury heard.
The scan showed that Charlee was suffering from bleeding round the brain, a swollen brain, bleeding at the back of his eyes and in his eyes, prosecutor Andrew Roberts told the court.
Attempts were made to treat Charlee in the intensive care unit but he died days later on March 1.
His Christening had been due to take place on Sunday, February 27.
Mr Roberts said: 'Charlee, happy and normal, was left in the sole care of this defendant.
'The Crown allege that it was while he was alone with Charlee in the home that this offence occurred.
'Something must have happened while he was alone with Charlee because all the evidence shows he gripped and shook him vigorously.
'The first indication that Miss Holmes had that something was not quite right was when she received a text from the defendant saying the baby was unsettled.'
Clark's mother had arrived at the family's home at around 12.10pm that day so the defendant could meet Miss Holmes in Darlington.
Mr Roberts added: 'By that stage Charlee was a very different baby than the one Miss Holmes had left.
'Charlee was in his swing whinging and grizzling.
'When the defendant's mother tried to lift Charlee out of the swing, Charlee let out a scream.'
Clark denies manslaughter.
The trial continues.

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