Court clears way for shaken baby appeals

The Crown Prosecution Service has failed in its bid to throw out
the appeal of four people against convictions for killing or
harming children.

Crown counsel Richard Horwell said the four appeals, based on a
challenge to the established theory of so-called shaken baby
syndrome, largely relied on the opinions of neuropathologist Dr
Jennian Geddes.

He said Geddes had agreed that her latest report was flawed and
more research was needed to counter the theory, which states that
internal head injuries to babies can only be caused by shaking of
sufficient force.

However, Lord Justice Gage allowed the appeals to continue, saying
each of the four cases depended on individual circumstances.
Alan Cherry, Lorraine Harris, Raymond Rock and Michael Faulder
began appeals last week against convictions for manslaughter,
murder or grievous bodily harm against small children.

The court heard that internal head injuries could result from
children falling from a low height, could be linked to vaccinations
or medication causing lack of oxygen to the brain or to a difficult
birth, or could have genetic causes.

The case continues.