A MOTHER whose five-month-old girl was shaken so hard she now has cerebral palsy has condemned the attacker's two-and-a-half year jail sentence.

Courtney Laverty has cerebral palsy and is registered blind after being very badly shaken.

The Northern Echo reported on Friday how Courtney's father, Duncan Laverty, a 28-year-old bus driver, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court, in Middlesbrough, for unlawful wounding.

Laverty admitted to the court he lost control and shook his five-and-a-half month old daughter when she would not stop crying.

Courtney's mother, Caroline Scott, 21, of Stockton, said: "He should have got more. He has taken away part of her life with what he's done. He apologised to me for what he did. It meant nothing. When I see her I can't stop thinking about what he did. I am very hurt and angry."

Courtney is now two but is in foster care because social workers judged Ms Scott could not cope with the 24-hour care her daughter needs. She only sees her daughter once a week.

Laverty was in sole charge of Courtney when Ms Scott went to work on April 20, 2004.

She took a call from Laverty a couple of hours later when he said Courtney was not breathing.

The girl was taken to hospital with multiple haemorrhages, swelling and bleeding to the brain, as well as oxygen deprivation.

Laverty only admitted unlawful wounding on the eve of his second trial.

Previously, he said he was sitting on a swivel chair and swung round causing Courtney to accidentally hit her head.

The day Courtney was abused was the day that Ms Scott learned she was pregnant with her second child, Bethany.