A SUFFOLK mother of four has been jailed for 12 months after breaking a baby's arm.Ipswich Crown Court heard how Susan Shinn pulled a baby out of its pram by one arm and swung it from side to side before dropping it back into its carrier.

A SUFFOLK mother of four has been jailed for 12 months after breaking a baby's arm.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Susan Shinn pulled a baby out of its pram by one arm and swung it from side to side before dropping it back into its carrier.

Shinn, 35, of Mill Bank, Newmarket, pleaded guilty to committing grievous

bodily harm to a child on January 18.

Roselyn Mandil-Wade, prosecuting, said a witness "saw this defendant go over to the pram and pick up the baby by one arm only so it was suspended by that arm. There was a look of terror on the baby's face. Then she saw this defendant swinging the baby from side to side by the arm and then the baby was dropped back into the pram."

The court heard that when the police arrived the baby was "lying in a distressed state" and had suffered a fractured upper arm and some bruising.

Sally Hobson, mitigating, said her client had been suffering from depression and was very ill at the time of the incident. "She was extremely distressed and traumatised," she added.

Miss Hobson added that Shinn had four young children of her own and had asked social services for help but none had been forthcoming.

"In December last year she was arrested for shoplifting. It was a cry for help," she said. Judge John Holt said: "This offence was done deliberately. You were suffering from some depression but reports show you knew what you were doing. You are

attention seeking and you have a

manipulative trait. Self harm is one thing, but harming a child cannot be tolerated."

Judge Holt sentenced Shinn to 12 months in prison. Reporting restrictions were imposed to protect the identity of the baby.