11 years for man who killed fiancée's baby

A 34-year-old Co Wicklow man has been jailed for 11 years for killing his fiancée's baby.

Philip Doyle of Tinakilly in Aughrim, Co Wicklow was convicted by a jury of the manslaughter of Ross Murphy at Creagh Demesne, Gorey, Co Wexford on April 5, 2005.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy described this as "a rare and serious case of assault manslaughter where extensive violence was inflicted on a helpless and completely innocent child".

Philip Doyle was alone in the house with three-and-a-half-month-old Ross when the infant suffered multiple and fatal injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

For three weeks, the 34-year-old lied, even to medical staff, that nothing untoward had happened before he changed his story and told gardaí he had tripped and fallen while holding Ross.

The judge said that, even now, Philip Doyle did not accept the true state of affairs, before he jailed him for 11 years.

Outside court Ross's aunt Adele Murphy spoke on behalf of the baby's mother Leona, and the rest of their family.

"We will never lose the ache in our hearts and the feeling of loss. Nothing and no one will ever replace our little baby angel Ross," she said.

The Murphys said they were pleased with the sentence.