Colin James Matchim appears in court in this Telegram file photo.
There has been a delay in the sentencing of Colin James Matchim, the 25-year-old man convicted May 31 of aggravated assault for shaking his baby daughter.
Matchim was to be sentenced this morning in Newfoundland Supreme Court in St. John’s, but his newly appointed lawyer, Peter Ralph, has requested more time with the case file.
"Once we received the discovery (July 4) there were some issues we thought we needed to explore before we proceeded to sentencing," the lawyer told Justice Wayne Dymond.
He also said he has recommended Matchim not participate in the creation of a pre-sentencing report.
The sentencing hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 22.
While Dymond noted it will be "an unusually long time between conviction and sentencing," since the request was made by Matchim's own attorney and the Crown had no objection to the postponement, it was granted.
Matchim was found guilty of aggravated assault for shaking 3 1/2-month-old August Matchim in March 2009.
Evidence from the 17-day trial revealed that on March 17, 2009, Matchim was home alone with the baby while the baby's mother, Kate Coombs, was out running errands.
She said the baby appeared fine and was sleeping in her swing when she left.
But when she got home about an hour later, she noticed the child was unresponsive, cold and pale.
The baby was taken to the Janeway children's hospital, where doctors immediately suspected shaken baby syndrome.
According to medical reports, the child still cannot walk on her own and has difficulty with movement on her right side. The damage is permanent.
Police arrested and charged Matchim in April 2009. He was released on strict conditions shortly afterwards, but has been in jail since Dymond handed down the verdict May 31.
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2011-07-18/article-2660077/Sentencing-set-over-in-shaken-baby-case/1
Matchim was to be sentenced this morning in Newfoundland Supreme Court in St. John’s, but his newly appointed lawyer, Peter Ralph, has requested more time with the case file.
"Once we received the discovery (July 4) there were some issues we thought we needed to explore before we proceeded to sentencing," the lawyer told Justice Wayne Dymond.
He also said he has recommended Matchim not participate in the creation of a pre-sentencing report.
The sentencing hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 22.
While Dymond noted it will be "an unusually long time between conviction and sentencing," since the request was made by Matchim's own attorney and the Crown had no objection to the postponement, it was granted.
Matchim was found guilty of aggravated assault for shaking 3 1/2-month-old August Matchim in March 2009.
Evidence from the 17-day trial revealed that on March 17, 2009, Matchim was home alone with the baby while the baby's mother, Kate Coombs, was out running errands.
She said the baby appeared fine and was sleeping in her swing when she left.
But when she got home about an hour later, she noticed the child was unresponsive, cold and pale.
The baby was taken to the Janeway children's hospital, where doctors immediately suspected shaken baby syndrome.
According to medical reports, the child still cannot walk on her own and has difficulty with movement on her right side. The damage is permanent.
Police arrested and charged Matchim in April 2009. He was released on strict conditions shortly afterwards, but has been in jail since Dymond handed down the verdict May 31.
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2011-07-18/article-2660077/Sentencing-set-over-in-shaken-baby-case/1
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