Dad, 26, found guilty of murdering seven-week-old son after shaking him with the ‘force of a car accident’
A DAD has been found guilty of murdering his seven-week-old son after shaking him with the “force of a car accident”.
Oliver Mailey, 26, violently shook his son Abel-Jax on at least two occasions before he died.
Little Abel went limp and stopped breathing after being shaken by Mailey on November 27, 2021.
The dad rang Abel’s mum, Mollie Gorton, and her cousin before calling an ambulance.
Abel was rushed to Blackburn Royal Hospital but was later transferred to Manchester Children’s Hospital, where his life support was withdrawn on November 30.
Mailey and his partner Mollie were arrested on suspicion of GBH, and later murder.
But Mailey insisted the baby had gone floppy following a feed and denied any involvement in Abel’s death.
He allowed Abel’s heartbroken mum to face investigation, knowing it was his fault their son had collapsed.
On the first day of the trial at Preston Crown Court, Mailey confessed he had shaken Abel on another occasion, around a week before he died.
He claimed he did not know the child would be seriously injured.
Mailey also admitted shaking Abel “in a moment of madness'” when he would not stop crying on November 27.
His partner Mollie, however, and the family’s health visitor confirmed they had been warned of the dangers of shaking during a routine home visit between the two shaking incidents.
Mailey, of Piccadilly Road, Burnley will be sentenced on Wednesday morning.