MEHMET TUFAN'S TRAGIC CRIME IN KIRKBY LEADS TO DEVASTATION AND JAIL TIME

In April of the previous year, a heartbreaking incident unfolded within a family home in Kirkby, Merseyside, resulting in severe and irreversible injuries to a five-week-old baby boy. The infant was subjected to a brutal act of violence by his father, Mehmet Tufan, aged 24, which left him permanently brain damaged, blind, and unable to use his legs. The circumstances surrounding this tragic event reveal a complex interplay of emotional distress, jealousy, and frustration that culminated in a devastating assault.

According to court proceedings, Tufan attacked his young son in a moment driven by anger or frustration, which appeared to be linked to personal conflicts with his partner. The mother of the child, a 22-year-old woman, had been out with friends that evening, and during this time, Tufan’s jealousy and anxiety grew. The court heard that he became increasingly agitated after reading a message on Snapchat from his partner, indicating that a man had approached her with the intent to dance. This seemingly minor incident appeared to trigger a significant emotional response in Tufan, who then contacted a friend to inquire about the situation.

Later that night, Tufan called emergency services at approximately 1:40 a.m., claiming that his son was choking on a hair, was sweating, and was not breathing. When paramedics arrived, they found the baby in a critical state—blue in color, unresponsive, and in cardiac arrest. Despite their efforts to resuscitate him, the child was placed in intensive care at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The medical team had to turn off the breathing incubator, and although the baby survived, the injuries he sustained were catastrophic. Doctors determined that the infant had most likely been shaken with considerable force, resulting in severe brain trauma and other life-altering conditions.

Investigations revealed that Tufan’s account of the events was inconsistent. He claimed to have removed a hair from the baby’s throat after the child started making choking noises, then panicked and shook the infant before throwing him onto the bed to call for help. However, medical experts, including paediatrician Dr. Jonathon Chahal, testified that the force used in the shaking was sufficient to cause the brain injury observed. A demonstration using a doll showed Tufan shaking the baby for three to four seconds, which was deemed enough to produce such damage. Blood tests further indicated that the call to emergency services was not made immediately after the baby stopped breathing, suggesting a delay of at least 20 minutes during which the child's circulation was compromised.

Police examined Tufan’s text messages with his partner that night, discovering that he was becoming increasingly frustrated and anxious about her being out with friends. About 90 minutes before calling for help, he sent a message indicating he was going to call 999 because the baby was having 'major fits.' Tufan admitted to police that he exaggerated his intentions to call emergency services, intending to persuade his partner to return home, as he felt neglected and upset. The court also heard that Tufan demonstrated the shaking technique on a doll during a police interview, which confirmed the force used was sufficient to cause the injuries.

The young mother, who has since ceased working to care for her son, described the devastating impact of the injuries. She explained that her child is now effectively blind, showing no response to light, and cannot support his head or move his legs, which now require surgery. The boy is fed through a tube and undergoes daily physiotherapy, nebulisers for breathing, and receives morphine for pain management.

Judge Robert Warnock addressed Tufan directly, stating, “While in sole charge of your son, you became jealous at the absence of the mother and treated and handled your son wholly inappropriately so as significantly to injure him.” Tufan pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm in a moment of loss of control, and he was sentenced to two years in prison. He had initially denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent but accepted a plea to the lesser charge after prosecutors agreed to the plea.

Overall, this case highlights the tragic consequences of emotional distress and improper handling of a vulnerable infant, leaving a family devastated and a young child with lifelong disabilities.