Man killed stepson in fit of rage, jury told

A man killed his baby stepson in a fit of rage, a jury has heard.

Thomas Morgan, 29, denies murdering five-month-old Jensen-Lee Dougal at the family home in Swansea.

Swansea Crown Court heard Morgan is accused of inflicting fatal injuries by shaking the baby while “full of rage” after an argument with his ex-girlfriend earlier that day.

The alleged assault left Jensen-Lee with catastrophic brain damage, numerous fractures and extensive retinal bleeding to both of his eyes, a jury was told on Tuesday.

Morgan, of Gorseinon, Swansea, is charged with murdering Jensen-Lee and three counts of causing him grievous bodily harm with intent.

The court heard Morgan was in a relationship with Jensen-Lee’s mother, Jordan Dougal, and was treated as the baby’s stepfather.

Caroline Rees KC, prosecuting, said Morgan “seriously abused the trust placed in him” by injuring the baby, with the most serious injury alleged to have been inflicted on March 30 2024, the day before Jensen-Lee died.

Opening the trial, Ms Rees said Morgan had argued with Georgia Griffiths, his former partner, earlier that day.

In an angry exchange of messages that followed, Morgan called her names like “stinking rat” and “stinking little dog”, the jury heard.

Morgan was left alone with Jensen-Lee while Ms Dougal went to work.

Ms Rees said: “It is clear that this abusive exchange had flipped some kind of switch in Thomas Morgan.

“By the time he was alone with Jenson-Lee, he was angry and aggressive and in no state of mind to be caring for a young baby on his own.”

While at work, Ms Dougal received a call from Morgan in which he told her the baby was choking and had stopped breathing, the court heard.

The defendant, carrying the baby, fled the house to get help from a neighbour, who performed CPR on Jensen-Lee and called an ambulance.

The baby was taken to hospital and found to have a “devastating” brain injury. He was taken off life support the following day.

The court heard Morgan denies inflicting serious injuries on Jensen-Lee and says he tried to save the baby after he fell ill in his care.

He said he found Jensen-Lee unresponsive and with vomit in his mouth after leaving him briefly alone to fetch a clean babygro.

Ms Rees said: “It is the prosecution case that the defendant, his temper raised and his fuse short after an argument with Georgia Griffiths, must have snapped and shaken Jensen-Lee with such violence that he caused devastating injuries which led to Jensen Lee’s death in his mother’s arms at only five months old.”

The trial continues.