A father who fractured his 25-day-old son's skull is facing a lengthy jail term after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Brian Calcutt, who has a previous conviction for an attack on a four-month-old child, had claimed his newborn had fallen off his lap, hitting his head on a coffee table.

But the jury rejected his account that Logan's injury was an accident.

After returning their verdict, there were audible gasps from some jurors when the prosecutor informed them that 40-year-old Calcutt had been convicted of assaulting another baby, causing actual bodily harm, in 1999.

The four-month-old sustained cuts to the face, finger marks around the neck, black eyes and bruising.

During the trial Judge Martin Joy had ruled that they should not be told of the previous conviction, for which Calcutt had been jailed for six months.

Adjourning sentencing for reports he also told Calcutt that the court now had to consider whether he posed a risk of danger to the public.

"You have been convicted of an offence which plainly is going to be visited by a lengthy custodial sentence.

"It is right before that sentence is passed that the court has to assess whether you present a significant risk of harm to the public

"In these circumstances, and for that reason only, I am adjourning for a pre-sentence report. You must not take it as having any other implication."

Calcutt, of Shortlands Green, Maidstone, was remanded in custody. He is expected to be sentenced next month.

Logan, who was born in August last year, spent four days in hospital and has fully recovered.

His injury was described during the trial as "significant" and consistent with being in a car crash or dropped from a first-floor window.

"You have been convicted of an offence which plainly is going to be visited by a lengthy custodial sentence" - Judge Martin Joy

The court heard that on September 17, his mother, Christine Mannering, had gone to bed at about 9.30pm, leaving Logan with his father.

She was suffering from post-natal depression at the time and due to have a minor operation.

Prosecutor Catherine Donnelly said Miss Mannering was woken two hours later by the light going on in the bedroom.

She saw Calcutt with the baby in his arms telling her: "Quick, you need to get up. Logan has fallen."

The baby had a red mark on his forehead which developed into a "significant distortion".

He was taken to Maidstone Hospital and then transferred to Pembury Hospital.

Calcutt later told police that he had drunk three-and-a-half pints of beer that evening.

He had been giving his son a bottle and burped him. Logan was then resting on Calcutt's knees.

The next thing he claimed to recall was waking up to see Logan on the floor.

The fracture was described as "quite wide" and ran from the middle of the head to just above the ear.

A consultant paediatrician told the court it was not consistent with a fall from a height of 2ft, as suggested by Calcutt.

The doctor said it was more likely to be over 4ft.

Giving evidence Calcutt said he was "under strain and upset" from having to care for the baby and his partner, as well as coping with the housework and shopping.

But he maintained he had not lost his temper with Logan and then tried to cover it up.

"I think I have done more than most dads would do," he added.

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