STEPHEN GOSLING FROM WALLSEND SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC BABY ABUSE IN NORTH TYNESIDE

In January 2012, a man named Stephen Gosling from Wallsend, North Tyneside, was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty of inflicting severe and numerous injuries on a young infant during a brutal two-week period of abuse. The case drew widespread condemnation due to the horrific nature of the injuries and the vulnerability of the victim.

Gosling's violent actions involved forceful yanking at the child's legs and squeezing the baby so tightly that it resulted in multiple fractures across the infant's tiny body. The extent of the injuries was so severe that when the child's mother took her baby to the hospital, medical professionals uncovered the full scope of the abuse. The child had sustained a total of 19 fractures, including 12 fractures to the ribs—both front and back—along with fractures to the right shoulder bone, the left leg, the right leg, and the left foot. These injuries were spread over different ages, indicating that they were inflicted at various times during the two-week period, rather than all at once.

Despite denying the charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, Gosling was convicted by a jury after a trial held at Newcastle Crown Court. The court heard that the injuries were of such severity that they required significant force to cause, and the multiple fractures of different ages underscored the prolonged and repeated nature of the abuse.

The child's mother, speaking after the trial, expressed her outrage and heartbreak. She described Gosling as 'an animal' and emphasized the cruelty of the abuse, especially considering her baby was only a few weeks old at the time. She stated, 'My baby was only weeks old when he did this and it is disgraceful. The baby suffered fractures all over the body. We are pleased he has been sent to jail for a long time.'

During sentencing, Judge Roger Thorn condemned Gosling's actions, describing the abuse as 'terrible, ghastly and terrifying.' The judge pointed out that Gosling showed no remorse and highlighted that the injuries required a substantial amount of force, as evidenced by expert testimony. He also noted Gosling's history of previous convictions, which included offences such as wounding with intent and robbery.

Gosling, aged 43, who resides in Wallsend, denied attacking the baby but was convicted unanimously after the trial. His defense lawyer, Paul Cross, acknowledged the vulnerability of the victim and admitted that Gosling had lost his self-control on multiple occasions. Cross also mentioned that the child was expected to make a full recovery from the injuries.

Following the case, Detective Constable Carol Dowson of Northumbria Police's Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit expressed her satisfaction with the sentence. She praised the cooperation of the child's family during the investigation, which she described as detailed and upsetting. Dowson reaffirmed the seriousness of the injuries inflicted and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for such heinous acts.