A MAN has been convicted of the murder of his four-and-a-half-month-old son.

Daniel McLaren, of Fleetwood Close, Thatcham, was found guilty by unanimous jury following a two-week trial at Reading Crown Court.

He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Monday, October 15.

Jack McLaren was left in the care of his father Daniel at their home, while their mother went out for a family meal in June last year.

Just after 7.30pm, McLaren called an ambulance. Paramedics arrived to find Jack unresponsive, in a critical condition, and he was taken to hospital. Young Jack died in hospital two days later.

McLaren, who was arrested on June 6, was charged in connection with the death the following day.

A post-mortem examination concluded the cause of death to be from a head injury. Damage was identified to Jack’s brain as being caused at the time of his collapse and also on a previous occasion.

During the subsequent Thames Valley Police investigation, a number of internet searches were made on McLaren’s mobile phone including “Serious symptoms in babies never to ignore”, “why is my babies tongue blue?” and “choking/turning Blue.”

McLaren was also found guilty of one count of Section 18 – grievous bodily harm with intent. This charge relates to injuries to another child.

Detective superintendent Nick John, said: “Daniel was a parent to Jack and yet he abused this privileged position to kill his son.

"He should have been someone who Jack could rely upon to care for him with unconditional love, but instead he used physical force against a defenceless baby.

“By shaking four-and-a-half-month-old Jack, he caused him injuries on two occasions which the little boy was ultimately unable to survive.

"Following the first incident, the internet searches he made indicated he knew his actions – shaking a baby – would cause him serious harm.

“His actions have deprived Jack’s mother, and all those who knew and loved him, of having him in their lives and being able to see him grow up. Our thoughts remain with them.”