Cider drinking father who passed out while changing his baby's nappy jailed for causing her death

Fourteen-week-old Skylar suffocated lying face-down on a rug, after being left in the care of Stephen Gallagher by her mother, who had gone out for the night, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

Sentencing Gallagher to 32 months in prison today (Tuesday, November 10), Judge John Milford said: “I wouldn’t entertain a suspension in a case such as this like this where, where a defenceless child meets her death through the overindulgence of the father.”

The 35-year-old, formerly of Hepscott Avenue, Blackhall Colliery, east Durham, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to causing or allowing the death of Skylar.

The charges follow an investigation that was sparked after the emergency services were call to a house at 5.20am on Friday, June 27 last year.

Paramedics found Skylar was not breathing and had no heartbeat and she could not be saved.

The judge said: “You (Gallagher) started drinking Strongbow cider from about 7pm that evening and continued to do so and got horribly drunk.

“You were so drunk that at some point in the night you actually relieved yourself in the sitting room under the fish tank.

“You have got so drunk that you had no memory of what occurred and what led to Skylar’s death and one must infer from the evidence what has happened.”

Judge Milford said it appeared that at around midnight Gallagher removed Skylar from the safety of her bouncy chair to change her nappy.

He added: “You were so drunk you were unable to so do.

“And so it was that when Skylar was found just after 5am in the morning on her mother’s return she was lying face-down on the rug by the sofa with no nappy on and excrement stains on her lower limbs.”

The judge said whether she was placed there or rolled off the sofa was speculation.

Jo Kidd, prosecuting, said Skylar had been born seven weeks premature and had no medical problems.

Her mother Angela Cowen went out and left Gallagher Skylar in charge on June 26 last year.

Ms Kidd said: “When she left at 11.20pm the baby had been fed, her nappy changed and she was asleep in the bouncy chair in the living room.

"Despite that Gallagher continued drinking during the course of the evening.”

When she got home shortly after 5am she found Gallagher asleep on the couch and Skylar dead on the living room rug.

A post mortem found no external injuries on the baby and there was no evidence of an intentional act, the court was told.

He was later unable to tell police how much he had to drink, but 11 empty cans of lager and cider were found by officers. Ms Cowan had drunk two or three.

Ms Kidd said both sets of grandparents had described Gallagher as a “doting” father.

She added, there was no evidence of any previous neglect.

Anne Richardson, mitigating, said Gallagher was not blaming anyone else, but was not someone who habitually set out to get drunk every night "leaving his children to fend for themselves".

Ms Richardson added: “He can never turn the clock back and for him, as for the rest of the extended family this remains an utter tragedy.”

Gallagher has had two cautions for being drunk and disorderly and one for cultivating cannabis.

Detective Inspector Carl Moss of Durham Police said: "Our thoughts remain with Skylar's family after her tragic and unnecessary death."

A NSPCC spokesperson said: “We can’t comment on this particular case, however it’s never acceptable to look after babies or young children whilst inebriated as you are exposing that child to significant risk of harm.

"Anybody who has concerns about a child or young person to contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000, text 88858, email help@nspcc.org.uk or visit www.nspcc.org.uk.”