Unanimous jury hears harrowing medical evidence during trial at Swansea Crown Court
A WEST WALES man has been found guilty of killing his five-month-old son after subjecting him to what medical experts described as violent shaking that caused catastrophic brain and eye injuries.
Thomas Morgan was convicted unanimously by a jury following a trial into the death of baby Jensen-Lee, who suffered fatal injuries at the family home on Saturday (Mar 30, 2024).
The court heard that after the injuries were inflicted, Morgan did not immediately call emergency services. Instead, he contacted his partner, despite later telling the court that his phone was not working properly.
Jurors were told this delay was significant when considering his actions in the crucial minutes after the baby became unresponsive.
Giving evidence on Thursday (Feb 6), Morgan told the court: “He was limp, I thought it was normal.”
Describing the moments after picking up his son, he said: “I scooped sick out of his mouth. I remember graphic bits, the same way I have nightmares, but I don’t remember what I did.”
Asked directly how hard he had shaken the child, Morgan replied: “I can’t remember how much force I used. I was in a total state of panic. I couldn’t describe it. I never intended to harm him.”
Prosecutor Caroline Rees KC challenged his account, suggesting the force used must have been extreme given the scale of the injuries later uncovered.
Medical specialists gave evidence that the baby’s injuries could not have been caused accidentally or by normal handling.
Dr Stavros, Head of Paediatric Neurology, told the jury there was no sign of an impact injury to the head but confirmed extensive internal damage consistent with violent shaking.
He said Jensen-Lee had acute subdural haemorrhages across multiple areas of the brain as well as bleeding along the spine.
The consultant described the findings as highly abnormal and severe.
In one stark moment, he told jurors that if someone were seen shaking a child with that level of force in public, “we would run over to stop it.”
A children’s eye specialist, Mr Abduls from a Birmingham teaching hospital, described what he called catastrophic eye trauma.
The retinal bleeding and tearing was so extensive that he said he could not tell which images belonged to the left or right eye, with photographs labelled simply “Eye A” and “Eye B”.
Jurors heard that such injuries are strongly associated with violent acceleration and deceleration forces.
Morgan was arrested ten days after the incident. When detained, he told officers: “I don’t know what injuries — he was my boy, I tried to help him.”
During closing speeches, the defence urged jurors to remain objective.
Counsel said: “We all have Jensen-Lee at the forefront of our minds. It’s difficult to think of a more emotive case than this. Consider this case with your heads, not your hearts.”
After deliberating, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
There were audible cries from the public gallery as the decision was delivered, where members of Jensen-Lee’s family had attended throughout the trial.
Morgan is due to be sentenced on Wednesday (Feb 25).
