An eight-week-old baby left with catastrophic brain damage by his father will never walk, talk or see — and now depends on constant care to survive.

Adam Edwards, 34, was jailed for nine years after an attack that left his infant son with a fractured skull and devastating, permanent disabilities.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the child, now three, suffers severe cerebral palsy, painful daily seizures and profound visual impairment.

He must be fed through a tube for 22 hours every day.

His care needs will continue throughout his life. The court was told he is unlikely to survive beyond his twenties.

A healthy baby was left facing a lifetime of disability before he was even two months old.

The child was beaten and shaken in June 2023.

Weeks earlier, Edwards had fractured his right arm by twisting or bending it with considerable force.

Rather than allow a midwife to visit, Edwards and the baby’s mother, Brogan Jones, cancelled the appointment and falsely claimed they had a stomach bug.

When the devastating head injury occurred on June 16, the parents argued and screamed insults at each other instead of calling an ambulance.

A neighbour who heard the disturbance found the baby looking dazed and staring into space. Even then, his parents failed to get him urgent help.

Judge Daniel Williams condemned the pair for arguing while their son needed emergency treatment. They subsequently lied in police interviews to protect themselves.

The court heard the household had become volatile, with cocaine and alcohol contributing to the atmosphere.

Edwards, of Blaina, was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm, causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, and child neglect. He did not give evidence at his trial and received nine years in prison. Edwards was conclusively identified as the person who inflicted the head injuries.

Jones, 29, of Nantyglo, was cleared of grievous bodily harm but convicted of causing or allowing serious physical harm and child neglect.

The court accepted that she had been subjected to severe domestic abuse by Edwards. She received a three-year prison sentence suspended for three years, alongside 250 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation requirements.

For their son, the consequences will never end.

His foster family provide the round-the-clock care he needs, managing a life shaped by prolonged tube feeding, daily seizures and profound disabilities.

In her statement to the court, his foster mother described him as the light of their lives. He responds to music and the voices of the family who love him and take him everywhere.

But she described the heartbreak of knowing he was born healthy and had his future taken from him.

He will never see his family’s faces, play sport or experience simple pleasures such as tasting an ice cream.

The violence lasted moments. The injuries, dependence and need for constant care will last his lifetime.

The reported medical evidence and foster carer’s account describe:

– A skull fractured in two places, following at least two forceful blows to his head.

– Brain damage causing blindness, with the connection between his brain and eyes impaired.

– Severe cerebral palsy: he cannot move independently, sit, stand or walk.

– Painful lifelong muscle spasms and daily seizures, with severely limited communication.

– A previous fracture to his right humerus, the upper-arm bone, attributed to forceful twisting or bending. Brit Brief

His long-term care reportedly includes:

– Feeding through a stomach tube 22 hours a day, after aspiration caused chest infections.

– Extensive medication and repeated hospital admissions for seizures and chest infections.

– Trained carers providing 24-hour support; he cannot dress, feed or care for himself and will need nappies throughout his life.

– Larger specialist equipment as he grows, requiring his foster family to move home.

– A risk of spinal curvature that could cause pain and require major surgery.