Father avoids jail for shaking twins

A father’s grievous, despicable and indefensible behaviour in shaking his infant twin son and daughter violently in an attempt to get them to stop crying has resulted in a six-year suspended jail sentence.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court said he was significantly taken with the plea made to him previously by the man’s ex-wife and the mother of the two children.

“If he goes to prison it is going to cause greater hardship for the victims. The welfare of the victims is dependent on the welfare of the mother and her welfare is dependent on the financial support he readily gives to her.