IPSWICH COURT: Why baby’s nose bleed sent dad to jail

An Ipswich mum’s terrifying discovery when she checked her baby’s bassinet one day led to her partner being locked up and charged with assault.

A man spent 173 days in custody after admitting ot dropping his baby inot a bassinet.

An Ipswich dad spent almost six months in custody for “careless conduct” that caused his baby’s nose bleed.

The man, who is in his 20s and cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court on January 20 to assault occasioning bodily harm.

The court heard the man was at home alone with the baby last year while his partner was at work.

Crown prosecutor Connor Lovett said the man’s partner received a text from him telling her he was “feeling suicidal”.

Mr Lovett said the woman dropped by their Ipswich home to check on her partner, but he left as soon as she arrived.

The court heard that when she entered their home she heard their baby crying.

When she checked on the child, she found it lying on its stomach in a bassinet which was stained with blood.

Mr Lovett said the woman quickly realised the baby simply had a nose bleed.

The court heard she took it to hospital, where it was cared for overnight. there were no longlasting injuries.

However, the child’s father later confessed to dropping their baby into the bassinet, which caused the injury.

He was charged and taken into custody, where he stayed for 173 days awaiting sentence.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said his client had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had been prescribed additional medication since the assault to assist with a recent decline in his mental health.

Magistrate Andy Cridland noted the man had limited criminal history.

He said the offending was “more a case of negligent or careless conduct... but you’re dealing, of course, with an infant”.

“This is clearly a case where deterrent penalties are called for … the behaviour you engaged in here is not acceptable.”

Mr Cridland sentenced the man to 173 days’ jail and declared his 173 days in pre-sentence custody as time served.

He further sentenced the man to a period of two years’ probation. Convictions were recorded.