An Adelaide man who violently shook his infant daughter has been jailed for five years for causing life-threatening head injuries to the 11-week-old.
Daniel James Morgan was found guilty of aggravated recklessly causing serious harm, with a judge rejecting his account that he had tripped while sweeping the house and had accidentally fallen on the young girl.
She suffered serious haemorrhages to both sides of her brain in the incident in August 2018 and had to be intubated and ventilated when admitted to hospital.
Sentencing the 23-year-old in the District Court on Wednesday, Judge Liesl Chapman said she did so on the basis his offending was a "one-off episode of momentary violence".
"You did not intend to cause serious harm to your daughter," she told Morgan,
"However, at the time you shook her you were aware of the substantial risk that shaking her could result in serious harm and did that despite the risk and without adequate justification."
Judge Chapman said children must be protected from any form of violence.
"Parental responsibility for the care of a baby son or daughter can bring with it times of stress, frustration and difficulties," she said.
"But overriding that is the vulnerability of babies who are entirely dependent upon those who provide their care to protect them and not harm them in any way.
"The consequences of your action for your daughter and her mother were devastating."
The judge accepted Morgan felt remorse and contrition and at least had the good sense to call the emergency services.
But she said it was unfortunate he was still not able to admit what he had done.
"It means that you have not expressed any insight into what happened, which in turn leaves me guarded about your prospects of rehabilitation," she said.
The judge said Morgan's daughter is now three years old and "appears to be a happy and beautiful little girl".
She imposed a head sentence of five years with a non-parole period of two years and six months.