A DAD who shook his baby son to death with the force of 'a high-speed motorbike crash' has been jailed for eight years.

Stephen Ward, 25, lost his temper with nine-month-old Jordan Ward and shook him so violently he suffered "catastrophic and irreversible" injuries.

He dialled 999 for an ambulance, telling an operator: "I think his breathing has gone or something. Please, quick."

Bristol Crown Court heard how the tot was a "difficult baby" and Ward had previously shouted aggressively and also slapped Jordan to make him stop crying.

Jordan's mother, Ward's former partner Paula Watts, 22, wept and clutched her heart as he was unanimously convicted of manslaughter on Wednesday.

Mr Justice Popplewell told Ward: "You have refused to accept your guilt despite overwhelming medical evidence and persisted in your story that you tried to prevent him from choking.

"You will have to bear the heavy burden of guilt the rest of your life knowing that you killed Jordan.

"On the day in question you simply lost your temper with him.

"You shook him and caused impact to the back of his head with sufficient force to cause injury to his scalp.

"But only you knew exactly what happened that day.

"The shaking and head impact was responsible for his death."

Jordan was rushed to Bristol Children's Hospital but died in the early hours of June 12, 2014 after falling into a two-day coma.

The baby suffered a bleed on the brain which caused a "severe and irreversible brain injury" and also had several fractures to his ribs.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Doctors said most of his injuries were sustained in the hours shortly before his death - but some could have been inflicted between five to 15 days before.

They said the damage to Jordan's ribs could have been sustained during CPR but the injuries that caused the fatal brain damage would have come from shaking.

Paediatrician Professor Peter Fleming said his injuries indicated a level of force comparable to "that which occurs in a high-velocity motorcycle accident".

Mr Justice Popplewell described how Ward struggled to control his temper with the baby.

"Jordan was not a difficult baby," he said. "You had problems controlling your anger.

"You used to shout at Jordan and use an aggressive tone of voice.

"Seven weeks before he died there was an incident in which you slapped Jordan to stop him crying.

"You admitted to Paula you had hit the baby. Paula moved out and took Jordan. You said you were sorry and you didn't mean to hit him and you wouldn't do it again.

"She agreed to come back only if you changed."

Ward claimed that his son had choked on food and that he had desperately tried to save him before calling an ambulance.

He described how the baby "jolted", becoming rigid, before turning "floppy" in his arms.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

In a victim statement Jordan's mother told the court: "My world and life changed form the moment the police came in and took me to hospital.

"It's a parent's worst nightmare and I will never get over it.

"A part of me died when Jordan took his last breath. This has been a very difficult time and trying to put it into words doesn't do it justice.

"I never wanted to believe that Stephen Ward was responsible for Jordan's death.

"Coming to court everyday and hearing the medical evidence made me feel physically sick."

Ms Watts spoke of her guilt at staying with Ward against her mother's advice when they briefly split up before Jordan's death.

She said: "I blamed myself for going back to him. I felt guilty for not accepting my mother's advice.

"I was in shock for a while after Jordan died, I was diagnosed with depression, I lost weight, suffered anxiety and I couldn't sleep. I couldn't function.

"At times I did not want to carry on with life."

She added: "I am not the victim. Jordan is. I want justice for him. I want him to be remembered for the happy lovely baby he was."

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Bean, of Gloucestershire Constabulary's Public Protection Bureau, said: "Special tribute must be paid to Paula Watts, Jordan's mother, for the strength and courage she has displayed over the past 22 months after such a traumatic loss.

"She has had to listen to some extremely harrowing evidence, particularly the graphic medical reports about the extent and severity of Jordan's injuries, and our thoughts are with her at this very difficult time."

An NSPCC spokesman for South West England said: “The man responsible for Jordan’s brutal death has rightly been jailed.

“This was a truly horrific case in which tiny Jordan was subjected to cowardly assaults throughout his short life.

“We urge anyone concerned about a child to call our helpline on 0808 800 5000 as it could save a life.”