Sex offender caused his baby brain injuries.

A former Royal Air Force (RAF) engineer, Richard Hardwick, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for inflicting life-threatening injuries on his three-month-old son.

The child suffered a brain haemorrhage, detached retina, and multiple broken ribs in September 2019. Doctors told the family on several occasions that the baby "may die" and the next 48 hours were crucial to his survival.

Despite the severity of the injuries, Hardwick, who has since been convicted of unrelated sex offences, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm, resulting in a significantly shorter sentence.

Recorder John Hardy KC, the presiding judge, expressed his frustration, stating that "It should have been a section 18 [wounding with intent] if not an attempted murder." He added, "As a human being it sticks in my gut."

Hardwick, who served in the RAF for 20 years and was stationed at Benson, initially attempted to place blame on his wife and a childminder. However, the court found him guilty of inflicting the injuries on his son.

The judge emphasized the inadequacy of the sentence, saying, "The single count on the indictment to which you have pleaded guilty compels me to sentence you to a term of imprisonment that members of the public would rightly regard as woefully inadequate for this horrific crime."

He questioned why the Crown Prosecution Service opted for a less serious charge, which limited the potential sentence to five years. Had a more serious charge been brought, an extended sentence could have been imposed, potentially resulting in a longer period of incarceration.

The judge acknowledged the extensive love and care provided to the child by his family, highlighting the profound impact of Hardwick's actions.

Hardwick's defense counsel argued that he had recognized the severity of his actions and suffered a mental breakdown. However, the judge dismissed any apology from Hardwick, stating that it could not mitigate the crime.

The boy's relative expressed her disappointment with the sentence, stating, "He nearly killed a baby; there are drug dealers who get much longer sentences."