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A WARRNAMBOOL man who failed in his duty to protect and care for his 10-week-old son will spend 12 months behind bars.
Jarrad Ryan Chittenden, 32, cried in Warrnambool Magistrates Court as Magistrate Peter Mellas described the devastating toll Chittenden’s offending would have on his family.
Chittenden pleaded guilty to six counts of recklessly causing injury which saw his son suffer broken bones in every limb of his body.
Mr Mellas said Chittenden’s actions would have a profound impact on the emotional and mental health of his son.
He said it was rare for such cases to come before the court and the main sentencing objective was to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.
He said Chittenden had been named and shamed and there was no doubt he would continue to be known as the person who caused injuries to his son.
“He will bear that burden, quite rightly, into the future,” he said.
On March 11 the baby was taken to Warrnambool Base Hospital after his mother noticed he wasn’t moving his right arm.
Police arrested Chittenden, who told officers his son may have suffered a broken arm when he was changing him and his arm got caught.
The baby's multiple rib injuries were caused when Chittenden held his son in both hands and squeezed his chest hard for between 10 and 20 seconds in an attempt to settle him.
Mr Mellas said Chittenden had shown genuine remorse, made full admissions to police and his ultimate prospects for rehabilitation were good.
He was placed on a two year community corrections order and but for his plea of guilty, he would have been jailed for three years with a non parole period of two years.