Suspended sentence for man who assaulted seven-week-old baby causing broken collarbone in Bicester

A Bicester man has been handed a suspended jail sentence for assaulting his seven-week-old baby, causing a broken collarbone.

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, Kieran Groves, aged 46, of Andover Close, Bicester, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for a year and 11 months, and told to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 45 rehabilitation activity requirement days at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday, February 22. He pleaded guilty to one count of Section 20 grievous bodily harm (GBH) at the same hearing.

On April 27 2021, Groves used force to inflict GBH on the baby while looking after them at an address in Browning Road, causing a broken collarbone.

Groves said the baby would not stop crying and he was upset with himself that he could not soothe the child so he lost his temper and squeezed it. The baby has since made a full recovery. Groves was arrested on May 21 2021 and charged on July 26 last year.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Lucy McDonagh, from the Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The victim in this case was a small infant who was vulnerable at the time they were assaulted. They were harmed by someone whose role it was to keep them safe.

“I wish to acknowledge the strength shown by the child’s mother and extended family in this case. The Child Abuse Investigation Unit will continue to investigate all allegations of abuse of children and seek to bring offenders to justice.”