A Swindon man has been jailed after admitting to killing a baby boy.
Paul Rich, 53, of Sandy Lane, Shrivenham, was sentenced today to seven and a half years in prison at Bristol Crown Court.
Yesterday in court, he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Patrick Bradley who was just over three months old when Rich assaulted him in March 2017.
Rich admitted causing a significant brain injury to Patrick at a property in Swindon on March 25 2017. Patrick was taken to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and then onto the Bristol Children’s Hospital but tragically died five days later.
Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Ruth Mather said: “This is a truly heart-breaking case which resulted in the death of a little baby boy.
“Our thoughts remain with Patrick’s family who have suffered an irreparable loss and I hope that today brings them some sense of closure.
“Rich was left in a position of trust in charge of Patrick’s welfare on the evening of assault but, instead of making sure he was safe and well, he caused a fatal brain injury which tragically led to his death.
“I would like to take this opportunity to praise the valiant efforts of the medical staff at both the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and the Bristol Children’s Hospital who provided Patrick with round-the-clock care before he sadly passed away.
“The death of a baby is truly one of the most difficult crimes to investigate so I would also like to thank the dedication and professionalism shown by my colleagues at Wiltshire Police – it is due to their hard work and diligence that we have been able to secure this conviction today.”
