Details of second shocking child cruelty case in Derry

Details of a second shocking child cruelty case in as many days have emerged with a Derry man sentenced to four years in prison for child cruelty against his son.
27 year- old Robert Anderson swung the 18-week old baby back and forth by the leg over a five-minute period in December 2009.
The injuries to the child were such that he was left permanently blind, brain-damaged and can only respond to noise.
At a hearing in Belfast earlier this month Crown counsel said that Robert Anderson, whose address cannot be revealed by law,  had not accepted that he was responsible for the child’s injuries.
He said that although the accused had told a social worker he did not mean the child any harm, he still did not accept he was responsible for his son’s injuries which had also left him confined to a wheelchair.
Prosecution QC Mr. Charles McKay said that Anderson had abused his position of trust as the baby’s father and carer.
He added that Anderson had a criminal record for drugs offences, criminal damage and disorderly behaviour.
Anderson’s lawyer Mr. Billy McCrory QC said the accused had no history of ill-treatment, abuse or cruelty and he said Anderson did express concerns for his son.
Judge Phillip Babington told Anderson he had caused catastrophic injuries to a totally defenceless child – he said “As a human being and as your son, it was your duty to seek help for him at that time but you failed.”