RAF technician jailed for shaking eight-month-old daughter to death

An RAF technician who shook his baby daughter to death then blamed his wife for the killing was jailed for six years and eight months today.

Gareth Harries, 25, attacked eight-month-old Chloe when she would not stop crying.

He initially blamed his wife Hayley for their baby's death, but admitted the culpable homicide of the infant during his trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The incident took place in November 2006 at the home he shared with his wife in Lossiemouth, where Harries was based.

Jailing Harries, Judge Lady Dorrian said today it was clear he must have used 'significant force'.

She told him: 'You used such force on a helpless baby. The consequences of that will be with you for the rest of your life.

'I recognise that by pleading you have spared the need for your wife to give evidence, which would clearly have been traumatic for her.

'However, it reflects very sadly on you that you waited until this stage to do so and even worse that you previously maintained a defence of incrimination, blaming your wife for the death of her own child, which must have made the traumatic effect of the child's death even worse for her.'

Lady Dorrian said she took into account that Harries had expressed 'deep and genuine remorse' for his actions and also that he had not intended to harm his daughter.

But she added there was 'no alternative' but to impose a custodial sentence.

Harries, from Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, was originally charged with murdering Chloe. But he later admitted a lesser charge of culpable homicide, and killing his daughter by repeatedly shaking her.

Innocent victim: Gareth Harries shook baby Chloe to death because she would not stop crying

Defence counsel David Moggach described it as a 'very tragic case' caused by a 'momentary reaction' from Harries.

The incident happened when Mrs Harries went out drinking with friends, leaving her husband to care for their child.

Mr Moggach said: 'It was him not being able to stop his child crying or cope with that that allowed him to lose his self-control and he shook her.'

He continued: 'What he did, he did in an instant. He did it not with the knowledge what he was doing would cause such injuries, injuries which turned out to be fatal injuries.

'He lost sight of just how vulnerable and delicate infant children can be or are. Clearly it was not his intent to harm or inflict injury on his daughter. He loved his daughter.

'He was simply left in a position where he couldn't cope, so rather than closing the door and walking away, or seeking assistance, he picked up the child and in desperation shook her.'

Hard to move on: Hayley Harries (r) leaves court with her mother Katie Ann Bibb

The lawyer told the court Harries had never been in trouble before and was previously of 'exemplary good character'.

Mr Moggach also stressed his client now accepted responsibility for the death of his daughter.

But he added the incident had had a 'dreadful effect' on his client.

The lawyer said: 'He's lost his daughter, his marriage and his career. He now presents as a sad and lonely man.

'He killed his child and that is not an easy thing to carry through life.'

Outside court Mrs Harries, 20, said that she felt 'hate' towards her estranged husband.

She said: 'If he was that devastated, he would have come out from the start and said what happened.

'At the end of the day, he was her father and a child is supposed to be safe with her parents.'

She also spoke of the 'immense' pressure she felt when Harries tried to blame her for the death of their child.

Mrs Harries, who is also in the RAF, said: 'When you are sat at home and on your own, you've got thoughts going through your head, and it is hard. You can't move on.'

Harries now faces being kicked out of the RAF.

A spokesman said: 'It is not for us to comment on the outcome of a court case, but we will continue to provide Hayley with the very high level of professional welfare support she has had since this dreadful event.'