In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Mehmet Tufan, then 24, of Kirkby, Merseyside, was jailed for two years for shaking his five-week-old son and causing catastrophic, life-changing injuries. On appearing at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing, Tufan admitted to inflicting grievous bodily harm during a “momentary loss of control.” The court reported that the attack took place in April 2018 at the family home while the defendant was in sole charge of the infant.
The investigation established that Tufan became “increasingly frustrated and anxious” because his partner was out with friends. Merseyside Police reported that the defendant’s jealousy was triggered by a text message from his partner regarding a man approaching her to dance. The prosecution reported that approximately 90 minutes before calling an ambulance, Tufan had falsely texted his partner, claiming the baby was having “major fits” in a deliberate attempt to force her to return home.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Tufan shook the five-week-old infant with “considerable force,” leading to permanent brain damage and blindness. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the defendant initially lied to paramedics, claiming the child had been choking on a hair. However, medical experts at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and paediatrician Dr Jonathon Chahal disputed this, confirming that the injuries were consistent with violent shaking. The prosecution reported that blood tests indicated the 999 call was delayed, leaving the child without effective circulation for at least 20 minutes.
Judge Robert Warnock noted that Tufan handled his son “wholly inappropriately” due to his resentment of the mother’s absence. For his actions in Kirkby, Merseyside, the defendant was sentenced to two years in prison after prosecutors accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent. The judge noted that the child now requires 24-hour care, tube feeding, and morphine, and remains unable to support his own head or move his legs.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Mehmet Tufan was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Two years in prison.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court following an investigation in Kirkby, Merseyside.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm (Section 20).
- Medical Context: Case involved “catastrophic” non-accidental head injuries (NAHI).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Tufan is managed under the supervision of the National Probation Service and Merseyside Police. Due to the “extreme violence” used against a vulnerable infant in Kirkby, Merseyside, his management is subject to oversight by local safeguarding authorities.
Authorities state that the defendant’s history of “uncontrollable” anxiety and jealousy-driven violence necessitates strict monitoring of his future domestic arrangements and access to children. Any further criminal conduct or breach of his licence terms following release will result in immediate arrest and a return to Liverpool Crown Court. The victim’s mother remains the primary carer for the child, whose medical requirements include daily physiotherapy and nebulisers.
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