A WOMAN accused of inflicting `appalling and horrific' injuries on a baby boy has walked free from court after serious charges had to be dropped.
The three-month-old boy - whose identity is protected by law and is known only as Child A - was in the care of Chantelle Raschid, 20, from Openshaw, and asylum seeker Nicholas Muhanza, 22, when he suffered catastrophic injuries leaving him permanently brain damaged and blind. He will suffer epileptic fits for the rest of his life.
The boy, who `cried until he had no more tears', was taken to hospital semi-conscious, but when examined by doctors they discovered he had multiple fractures to his skull and both collarbones. Five ribs were broken as were the bones of both upper and lower arms and legs.
Fallen
Such injuries are normally only seen in car accident victims or people who had fallen from the upper storeys of a building, Manchester Crown Court was told.
They were also consistent with the child being swung or flung against a hard surface.
And the court heard `the reality' was the injuries must have been inflicted to the child while being cared for either Raschid or Muhanza.
But because it could not be proved that either, acting alone or together, harmed the child directly, charges had to be dropped against them for inflicting the injuries.
Doctors could not say who was looking after the child at the time the injuries were inflicted - though both cared for Child A and some of the injuries were weeks old, the court was told.
Guilty
Instead, Raschid was convicted of lesser charges after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to a single assault of picking up the child by his arm and a single count of neglect.
Brian Williams, defending, said Rashid had learning difficulties and a low IQ.
She walked free from court after being given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for a year. A formal not guilty verdict was entered on the charge that she harmed the child.
Passing sentence, Judge David Hernandez said: "The injuries are consistent with the child being picked up and dashed against a hard surface."
Muhanza, 22, was cleared of neglect following a two-week trial in April.
Det Sup Mark Hussey said the case was the `most emotive' he had worked on because of the extent of the injuries.
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jitsuka, Didsbury (19/06/2009 at 09:47)
The child "had multiple fractures to his skull and both collarbones. Five ribs were broken as were the bones of both upper and lower arms and legs"
Both are culpable and therefore should be treated as such.
This is just beyond belief.
john davis (19/06/2009 at 10:02)
Mary Clare (19/06/2009 at 10:19)
jambo77, Failsworth (19/06/2009 at 10:29)
They were both guilty of the abuse of this child and both should receive the same sentence.
Life ruined already at 3 months old, makes me sick.
You What, Manchester (19/06/2009 at 11:09)
Thomas The Tank, Rusholme (19/06/2009 at 11:19)
Pippa, Manchester (19/06/2009 at 12:20)
Albert Bino (19/06/2009 at 12:25)
Mum2be, Manchester (19/06/2009 at 12:26)
The fact that this monster pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to a single assault of picking up the child by his arm and a single count of neglect shows that both are/ were capable of harming this poor child and the fact that she has learning difficulties and a low iq, then surely she has common sense to not look after the child in the first place.
Makes me sick that this poor child hasn't been given a chance in life.
May God Bless "child A".
stephen robinson (19/06/2009 at 12:31)
Savage Mandarin, Manchester (19/06/2009 at 12:49)
stephen4664, stockport (19/06/2009 at 12:59)
salfordrat (19/06/2009 at 13:33)
salfordrat (19/06/2009 at 13:34)
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (19/06/2009 at 13:43)
I don't know if these have split up or whatever and I'm not really interested in their own issues as a couple but surely she should be held accountable for at least not providing adequate protection from risk to the child, that would stop the blaming each other technicality, which obviously made the case against them both collapse
tammykins, nebraska (19/06/2009 at 14:10)
Mark, South Manchester (19/06/2009 at 14:38)
But no, because it happened on a sink estate in a forgotten & unimportant part of the country - the national media aren't bothered. And because the national media aren't bothered, neither is our wretched New Labour Government nor any other of our beloved national politicians.
Something needs to be done, the law needs changing - but unless you're deemed worthy & significant, the "powers that be" don't want to know!! Class ridden Britain, eh?
BigDaddy (19/06/2009 at 15:21)
Tezza, Tyldesley (19/06/2009 at 15:50)
We can’t just go locking people up because we think that they may have done it, we need hard evidence.
The problem in cases like this is that one person could have carried out these attacks, but we can’t blame both people.
And Albert Bino
“What about the human rights of the victim rather than the human rights of the guilty? “
You must be reading a different story to me because I could not find any comment about “Human Rights” the judicial system will not proceed with a prosecution if they don’t feel that they have a good chance of getting a guilty verdict, its got nothing to do with Human rights.
mary monks (19/06/2009 at 16:01)
Frequent Flyer, Altrincham (19/06/2009 at 21:48)