A CRACK cocaine addict who drop-kicked his baby daughter across the bedroom has been jailed for four years.

Stephen Thomas, 23, of Mansfield Road, Parkstone, carried out a "serious and prolonged assault" on seven-month-old baby Kiara while high on the class A drug, a court heard.

A detective has described it as one of the worst cases he has ever dealt with.

During the ordeal, which lasted just over an hour, Thomas hurled baby Kiara onto a sofa with such force that she bounced, before kicking her more than one metre across the room, dropping her on to a radiator and swinging her around by her ankle.

The youngster was left with severe bruising to the head and body and five broken ribs following the incident on March 29 last year.

The jury at Bournemouth Crown Court found Thomas guilty of grievous bodily harm.

Prosecutor Peter Blair said Thomas had returned home on the day of the assault in "a weird mood", which girlfriend Sarah Hogsflesh put down to his problem with crack cocaine.

Thomas started playing with baby Kiara but when she started to get tired and grumpy, Miss Hogsflesh suggested to Thomas they put her to bed, which triggered the incident, said Mr Blair.

When it was over Miss Hogsflesh realised that the baby's bones were moving under the skin and took her to hospital.

Describing the attack, Miss Hogsflesh said: "He dropped her towards his foot and kicked her really hard across the room.

"She ended up on the side of the double bed and she was crying and screaming".

The child had already been placed on the child protection register after Thomas admitted to shaking her just one month before the attack.

Thomas told hospital staff that he had accidentally dropped Kiara on to a radiator and persuaded Miss Hogsflesh to corroborate his story.

But a few months later she split up with Thomas and decided to alert police, said Mr Blair.

Defence Robert Griffiths said prior to the assault Thomas was "a good father" and had been the main carer while Miss Hogsflesh was suffering from post-natal depression.

Thomas is no longer addicted to drugs, he added.

Thomas also received 12 months jail after pleading guilty to actual bodily harm of PC Lesley Roberts following a car accident while on bail for the GBH charge.

During the incident on November 13 last year, PC Roberts was punched several times to the back of the head and received a fractured finger as she tried to arrest him.

Speaking afterwards, Detective Sergeant Frank Streat said the child could have died as a result of the attack.

He said: "This is probably one of the most horrific cases I have dealt with in five years I've been on the Child Protection Investigation Unit.

"This was a vicious attack on a defenceless young baby and he deserves the sentence he has been given."

First published: August 13, 2005