A WIRRAL man who shook his girlfriend's baby daughter so hard she suffered potentially life-threatening brain injuries was jailed for seven years today.

The defenceless 13-month-old tot suffered bleeding on the brain and the back of her eyes as well as bruising to both ears, head and to her back at the hands of Carl James, 41.

She had also suffered a complex fractured skull some days or weeks earlier but after hearing that it was not possible to ascertain when or how she suffered that James was cleared by a jury of responsibility for that injury.

But they found that the defendant, who told how the child had never taken to him, had caused the shaking injuries while caring for her for just half an hour while her mum Kelly Parry went to a counselling session.

Fortunately the toddler has made a good recovery but was in foster care for nine months away from both her parents while investigations were made into who had injured her.

The court heard that James had given no explanation for the attack - which happened during the first time he had been left alone with her - but previous text messages spoke of on-going issues about the child clinging to her mum and not taking to him. James also had concerns about Parry's parenting skills.

Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, said: "There was obviously some issue between him and the child and that morning there was a sustained attack on the child. There was shaking and bad bruising to both ears.

"It was a very serious and vicious assault on a very vulnerable young child. She was very fortunate she did not suffer a lack of oxygen but that does not excuse what was done to that child. He was in a position of trust."

Judge Gary Woodhall said that the former support worker, who showed no emotion throughout the court proceedings, has not demonstrated any remorse.

"You continue to deny responsibility despite the fact that the evidence placed before the jury was clear that the offence must have happened when she was left in your care. It is likely you lost control .. and assaulted her."

The judge said: "It is clear that the toddler had not taken to you and would cry regularly in your company.

"I am satisfied you were finding that increasingly frustrating and you were unhappy with the way the mother was dealing with it."

He said there had been earlier incidents including her suffering a significant bruise to the back of her head and she had suffered a fractured skull but an expert could not rule out it having been caused accidentally.

"Whatever suspicions there may be about previous violent actions to her, on the basis of the medical evidence and faithful to the jury's not guilty verdict I am obliged to sentence you for a single incident of violence on September 1.

"I am satisfied that you had violently shaken that baby with sufficient force backwards and forwards to cause bleeding within the skull and within her eyes."

He said that a doctor described it as "very serious and potentially life threatening.

"She was immediately unwell and unable to support her had and began to vomit."

Judge Woodhall said that "in all likelihood" he had acted in temper or out of frustration.

James, of Watersedge Apartments, Tower Promenade, New Brighton had been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on September 1, 2017 and acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm on about August 27 that year.

The child's mum, Kelly Parry, 31, of Islington, Liverpool, who was cleared of child cruelty, was present in the public gallery for today's sentencing.

Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that James started a relationship with Parry in April 2017.

She was living with her mother and the baby in Liverpool after separating from her husband, the child's dad, who lived in Birkenhead.

On September 1 she left her daughter in the care of James, as she had a counselling appointment, and half an hour later he rang for an ambulance for the baby.

He later described putting her on the floor as she had been 'sofa surfing'.

"He said he went into the kitchen and returned to find her sitting on the floor with her head slumped forward.

An ambulance took her to Alder Hey Hospital and her various injuries were discovered.

A consultant neurologist said that in his opinion the bleeds the infant had suffered "were the result of shaking and the force needed would be obviously inappropriate to the person using it."

Also in the expert's opinion the skull fracture had been inflicted between a week and three months earlier.

It would have been painful and she would have cried when she suffered it.

When interviewed James agreed that on the night of September 1, after staying over the previous night, he took her from her high chair and put her in the living room holding onto the couch with one hand.

He claimed he went into the kitchen and when he returned she was sitting on the floor slumped forward with her head on the floor.

The court heard that the baby's father now has shared custody of her along with the local authority.

She has regular check ups but had met her "two year milestones" and is doing well though sometimes has nightmares.

Bernice Campbell, defending, said that James, who the judge had described as "very calm, controlled and measured" during proceedings, had been showing respect for the court.

He had immediately called for an ambulance when the toddler collapsed during the first time he had been left in sole charge of her and went to hospital with her by which time she had regained consciousness.