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Retrial for Wirral father accused of injuring baby


A JURY has failed to agree a verdict on a young Wirral father accused of attacking his three-week-old son leaving him permanently disabled.

After a month long trial a jury at Liverpool Crown Court was unable to reach a decision on Dean Hodkinson and the case has now been adjourned until May 8.

It has been alleged that Hodkinson, a former soldier, forcibly squeezed and shook his baby son while downstairs alone with him in their Wallasey home.

He then carried the baby, who was like "a rag doll", upstairs to the baby's 17-year-old mum and asked, "What does it mean when when the baby goes all floppy?" claimed Stuart Driver, QC, prosecuting.

She began panicking and he calmly walked into her mum's room and said the same thing. "He was holding her in his left arm and with his right arm lifting up his legs and letting them drop."

At hospital it was found that the little boy had suffered 17 rib fractures, his collar bones and shoulders were broken and he had also suffered traumatic brain injury.

"Some of the injuries were of such severity which is only seen in serious road traffic accidents," said Mr Driver.

Hodkinson, 20, denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent on August 9 last year to the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Hodkinson has been further remanded in custody until May 8 when it is expected a date for a re-trial will be fixed.

THE GLOBE

One word : Sterilisation.

The "brick" method!!

We should get someone bigger than him to do the same to him!!

It makes me wonder when they say "ex soldier" - he's 20 If you enlist under the age of 18, your contract lasts until the day before your 22nd birthday. If you're over 18, your contract time is four years and three months. To leave after this point, you need to give 12 month's prior notice in writing of your intention. So did he a) not make the grade or b) get discharged for something

I think this is a candidate for the gas chamber.

Too good for him and his ilk if you ask me.

How can any jury NOT reach a decision given the events as reportd?

I despair

One can only hope that a retrial will result in an appropriate custodial sentence (given that, regrettably, our suggestions cannot be applied). It may well be however that others in the same custodial establishment will decide to administer their own justice. It has been known (understatement)

Snod

It disgusts me how this country are so lineant with ... like this!

I think there needs to be a serious change in Uk sentences when it comes to cases like this.

This `should` be attempted murder.

Lock him up for life and MEAN life!!!

Four words: boltgun to the forehead.

I'm disgusted at this story but im sure he'll eventually gets wot coming to him. The wait must be (hopefully) killing him..