Mother jailed for battering baby

A woman was yesterday jailed for two years for seriously injuring her five-month-old daughter, who was taken to hospital suffering from fractured bones and bruises all over her body five years ago.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro jailed the mother - who herself had been abused as a child - for two years after hearing how this was not an accidental episode and the child was the victim of child abuse.

"The crime committed by the accused on her daughter is very serious and worrying and, certainly, there are no excuses as the accused was not suffering from some sort of depression or any form of mental illness.

"On the contrary, she knew what she was doing. The court strongly condemns such crimes committed by a mother on an innocent and defenceless child," the magistrate ruled.

Magistrate Lofaro heard how, in February 2000, the baby girl was taken to hospital suffering from various injuries all over her body, including fractured bones and bruises.

Hospital staff informed the police and investigations revealed that the child may have been a victim of abuse.

The mother, whose name cannot be published by court order to protect the girl's identity, released a statement in which she explained how, once she gave birth, she lived with her parents but eventually moved out and went to live with her boyfriend, who was the girl's father.

When asked about her daughter's injuries, the mother said that she once felt disconcerted and slammed her daughter on to the bed. She said the girl may have fractured her legs then but did not know how the bruises got there. She added that the child may have hit her head on the headboard when she threw her on the bed.

The mother also said: "All I can say is that I think there may have been moments when I was in pain and could not stand my daughter any longer, and maybe I did something I do not remember."

Magistrate Lofaro heard medical experts explain that the injuries of the child were consistent with significant force to several parts of the body. Although the fractures were recent, the bruises were some seven days old at the time.

Medical reports showed that the girl was the victim of abuse and battering over a long period of time and that this was not accidental.

The magistrate also heard that the mother herself has been abused by her parents as a child and lacked parenting skills.

On handing down judgment, the magistrate noted that the mother had another two children besides the girl and had a clean criminal record.

Police Inspectors Mario Tonna and Louise Calleja prosecuted.