Sheffield Crown Court: Dad accused of assaulting four-and-a-half-month-old baby son he called 'little s**t'

During the beginning of a trial at Sheffield Crown Court today, Joseph Parsons, aged 31, was accused of assaulting his four-and-a-half-month-old baby son, James Mason-Parsons, at the defendant's former family home on McConnell Crescent, New Rossington, Doncaster.

Prosecuting barrister Matthew Donkin told the jury: “The case you are about to try involves the infliction of a serious head injury to a young boy, James Mason-Parsons. James was aged four months and 15 days when on February 7, of the year 2018, shortly after 6pm, an emergency 999 call was made and an ambulance was sent to his home.”

Mr Donkin added: “He was in a state of collapse and struggling to breath. He was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary and in due course to Sheffield Children’s Hospital. His injuries were identified as internal bleeding over the surface of the brain and swelling and damage to the brain tissue and bleeding in both eyes and a fracture to the skull.”

The jury heard Mr Donkin claim the brain injuries were consistent with ‘violent shaking’ and the skull fracture was allegedly caused by an impact to a ‘hard and unyielding surface’ and that the two injuries were allegedly most likely caused in the same incident.

Mr Donkin said relatives had visited the defendant’s family home earlier in the day on February 7, 2018, and Mr Parsons was left alone in the care of baby James in the evening after the child’s mother Sophie Mason had gone to a parenting class at Rossington Family Hub, on Grantham Street, New Rossington.

But Mr Parsons phoned James’ grandfather, Philip Mason, and told him the baby was not breathing. Mr Mason returned to the property and an ambulance was called, according to Mr Donkin. Mr Donkin added that Sophie Mason’s stepsister also returned to the property and someone went to get Sophie Mason from the parenting class.

The child as described as ‘grey,’ ‘waxy’ and ‘lifeless,’ ‘floppy’ and ‘hypothermic’ with shallow and laboured breathing when paramedics arrived at the property, according to Mr Donkin.

The child was taken to hospital and Mr Donkin said scans were undertaken. A doctor observed blood on the surface of the brain and damage to the brain as well as a fracture to the rear, left of the skull consistent with a head trauma.

Another doctor eliminated medical, natural or organic explanations for the injuries leading this doctor to the conclusion that the injuries with the combination of bleeding in the youngster’s eyes were non-accidental and he must have suffered a head trauma.

Mr Donkin said: “The prosecution case is that James went from being healthy and giving no concerns to his family members shortly before 6pm to being extremely unwell in just a short few minutes and that is because something was done to him by this defendant in the house.”

He also claimed Mr Parsons had harmed his son after he been in a ‘foul mood’ earlier that day because he had failed a forklift truck driving test or perhaps because his son had been crying. Mr Donkin added that Mr Parsons had allegedly also posted a Facebook message before the alleged assault stating that he thought James was behaving like a ‘little s**t’.

The defendant was arrested at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and he told police he had taken James for a bath and he had been about to give him his bottle when the youngster had stopped breathing.

Mr Parsons, now of Buller Road, in Newton Abbott, Devon, has pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The trial continues.