A 30-year-old man who pleaded guilty to assaulting his child, causing brain damage, received a jail term at Naas Circuit Court yesterday. Conal de Monge, with an address at Aylmer Park, Naas, had admitted causing severe harm to his five-week-old son, Cameron, on August 18th and to assault causing harm 13 days previously.
He received a five-year sentence with the final two years suspended. He also had a concurrent six-month term imposed. The court heard that the child will have cerebral palsy as a result of the incident.
Judge Groarke said that the treatment of the baby was almost beyond comprehension. He accepted that the attack was not premeditated but said the defendant at least knew he was causing pain to the child.