CONNOR HUME CONSETT BABY BRUTAL ATTACK LEAVES INFANT SEVERELY DISABLED AND BLIND

In April 2021, a tragic and disturbing incident unfolded in Consett that has left a young child with lifelong disabilities. A man named Connor James Hume, who was just 18 years old at the time, carried out a violent assault on an innocent infant, resulting in devastating consequences that have forever altered the child's life.

According to court proceedings, Hume struck the baby forcefully in the head and nearly caused the child's death by shaking them vigorously. The Durham Crown Court heard that the injuries inflicted were severe and catastrophic. The child was left with brain damage, leading to cerebral palsy, and was also rendered blind in both eyes due to retinal haemorrhages. The court was told that the injuries were so extensive that emergency surgery was required to address the brain trauma, and the doctors stopped counting the number of retinal haemorrhages, which were numerous.

During the trial, which took place last month, Hume was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child. The judge presiding over the case, Judge James Adkin, delivered a stern sentence, stating, “You were in charge of them on that evening and the evidence at trial pointed unequivocally to you as the perpetrator of the injuries. I’m sure that you lost your temper and struck them hard in the head and shook them vigorously. You caused a significant front right haematoma which damaged their brain irreparably which needed emergency surgery. You caused so many haemorrhages in both of their retinas that the doctors stopped counting and they very nearly died. You went for help from a neighbour but then started to lie which you have done continually throughout proceedings, no doubt ashamed and afraid of what you have done.

“A perfectly well baby is now blind in both eyes, has cerebral palsy due to brain damage and requires constant 24-hour care.”

Hume was subsequently sentenced to a total of eight years and ten months in prison. The court ordered that half of this sentence be served on licence, meaning he could be released early under supervision.

In a poignant victim impact statement, the child's full-time carer expressed the profound and heartbreaking consequences of the attack. They stated, “They sustained life-changing injuries and their healthy and care-free life was robbed from them. While they may never remember or understand what happened to them, the impact will forever hinder and restrict their ability to live a fulfilled life.

“They went from a healthy baby with their whole life ahead of them to a child who faces constant daily struggles due to their severe physical and cognitive disabilities alongside complex needs.

“What saddens us the most is how isolated and dark their world is due to having no vision.

“They are now at a level where they would be starting to understand the world but will never witness the magic of childhood such as seeing Santa Claus, the snow or Christmas lights twinkling. They will never know how colourful the world around them is.

“Their vision isn’t the only thing that restricts their quality of life but every single disability they have endured from injury has ensured they will never live an independent life. They will never go on a group holiday, or university or a restaurant. Most importantly, they will never be able to verbally tell the people around them that they love them. These are all natural milestones that they will never experience.

“We can only hope that any sentence passed, Connor will use this period to reflect on what he has done, and we would like him to be mindful that his sentence will only be a temporary period whereas the child has been given a life sentence as a result of Connor’s actions.”