A man who used Tinder to target a mother in order to sexually abuse her baby has been sentenced to life in prison.
Christopher Phillips, aged 34, actively sought out a baby when he joined the dating app to connect with new mothers. After coming across a picture of the mother holding her newborn, he identified her vulnerability and exploited it to gain unrestricted access to the child, according to court testimonies.
Phillips carried out numerous offenses against the infant, referred to as Baby C, causing injuries likened to being “hit by a bus.” Judge Paul Thomas KC, who handed down the life sentence to Phillips, described the case as the most distressing he had encountered in his four-decade career.
During the court proceedings, the baby’s grandmother shared a statement expressing the profound horror and devastation that the situation brought upon the family.
Evidence presented at Swansea Crown Court revealed that police and social services were alerted to the baby’s suspected non-accidental injuries when he was taken to Glangwili Hospital in January 2021.
Medical examinations showed that the baby had sustained a fractured ankle and wrist, six fractured ribs, a fractured skull, and a brain hemorrhage.
Phillips was convicted last month on two counts of sexual assault by penetration on the infant, as well as actual bodily harm and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
He was acquitted of two charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and two alternative charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The baby’s mother was cleared of both accusations of allowing serious physical harm to her child and child neglect. Phillips, residing in Burton, Pembs, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years and 25 days in prison.