Shaken baby’s injuries resembled result of high speed crash, court told as Razwan Malik from Calcot is sentenced

A MAN broke 15 bones in his three-month-old baby’s body by shaking the child.

The injuries were so severe they resembled those sustained in a fall from a great height or even a high-speed traffic collision, medics said.

A report concluded the 42-year-old presented a “high risk of causing physical harm to children”.

But Razwan Malik walked from the dock at Reading Crown Court with a suspended sentence on Monday, April 29.

Arabella MacDonald, prosecuting, said the injuries only came to light when Malik, of Willow Tree Glade, Calcot, took the child to hospital for an unrelated problem and x-rays showed the horrific injuries.

These included fractures to both forearms, both thigh bones, both shin bones, the left ankle, the right wrist, two ribs on the left side and one on the right.

The injuries were around six weeks old and the infant would have been in considerable pain when being fed, changed or cuddled, said Ms MacDonald.

When arrested, Malik gave “no comment” interviews, she added.

However he later confessed what he had done to social services.

Malik admitted wilfully assaulting, ill treating or exposing a child to unnecessary suffering in 2020.

Tamasin Graham, defending, said her client had no previous convictions.

She added: “He is thoroughly disgusted with himself” and had shaken his baby during a “momentary lapse of self control” when he would not stop crying.

Ms Graham went on: “It’s true he didn’t tell his wife what had happened out of a deep sense of shame.

“He would give anything to turn back time - you couldn’t imagine a man more remorseful.”

She said the “most awful punishment is yet to come - the day when he must look his (child) in the eye” and tell them what he did.

The report which branded him a high risk to children was “strongly contested by the defence,” said Ms Graham.

She pointed out that social services had deemed his remorse genuine and that he had been allowed to return to the family home where, as a construction company area manager, he was the main breadwinner.

Judge Sarah Campbell told Malik: “You’re said to be full of self loathing - and some may say ‘so you should be’.

“It’s said you’re an otherwise capable and loving parent but I have to balance the needs of the victim with the seriousness of the offence.

“On one view it’s extremely fortunate you’re not facing more serious charges.”

Judge Campbell also noted that it had taken four years to get to the sentencing hearing, through no fault of the defendant’s and that there had been no offending in the intervening years.

In addition, she said she was considering the effect an immediate custodial sentence would have on Malik’s dependents.

Judge Campbell concluded there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and that she was just able to suspend the inevitable custodial sentence.

Malik was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for 20 months.

In addition he must complete 240 hours of unpaid community work and to pay £240 costs.

Malik and his wife sobbed and hugged after he left the dock.