Father Admits Manslaughter of 15 Year Old Son

A father has Admitted to the Manslaughter of his 15-year-old Son, after Inflicting Injuries on his Son Jack when he was just 4 months old.

Appearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, on Monday 9th November, the defendant, John Doak, now 37 years of age, listened as judge Justice Cavanagh, spoke of how Doak’s son Jack Doak Mitchell, had suffered severe brain damage, was unable to talk, was blind, with limited ability to move his body, and needed 24-hour care, after an incident that took place on May 22nd 2001, during which his then 18-year-old father John, when questioned in court, admitted shaking Jack violently after losing his temper when the baby would not stop crying.

David Emanuel, on behalf of the defendant, said that according to an expert report, “what probably happened was the loss of control temporarily while trying to stop him crying”.

Judge Justice Cavanagh, presiding over the hearing, stated during the case that Jack Doak had a “very poor… if non-existent”, life as a result of his father’s actions, which due to the fact he was alone with the baby at the time, only the defendant could know what really took place, saying, “it is not known, but that it would be likely to be viewed as being an obviously inappropriate way of handling a baby if seen by an independent witness”.
The judge continued, “Only you know exactly what form the assault on Jack took on May 22nd 2001, or how severely you shook him, or why you did so, however, I sentence you on the basis that you did not intend to kill him or to cause him really serious harm”.
The judge said that he had seen photographs of Jack and that he was a “lovely little boy”.

After developing respiratory problems, brought on as a result of his condition, Jack Doak died on March 13th 2016, aged only 15.
John Doak, of Delgate Avenue, Spalding, Lincolnshire, admitted to Jack’s manslaughter, after he had already been convicted previously in 2002 of inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent, upon Jack, and sentenced to four years in a young offenders institution, out of which he served only two years and eight months.
Judge Justice Cavanagh said he took this previous sentence into account when sentencing him for manslaughter “as it arises from the same incident”.