A father who shook his two-month-old daughter with 'severe and excessive' force, causing a catastrophic and fatal brain injury, as he struggled to feed her has been jailed for eight years.

James Ring, previously of Dover, was alone with baby Aria at his home when he lost his temper in frustration.

Just two weeks earlier the 21-year-old had swung his hand back and struck the newborn to the back of her head as she lay on a changing mat.

However, he later admitted he hit her because he was 'a little frustrated' by her crying.

But having shaken her on January 7 last year, he claimed the tiny baby, weighing just 7lb 9oz, had simply gone limp as he cradled her in his arm while trying to bottle feed her.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he denied in repeated interviews with police that he had either hit, dropped or shaken her.

Despite medical evidence to the contrary, Ring kept up his pretence until just days before his trial was due to start today.

Having denied charges of murder and manslaughter, Ring finally confessed to shaking his daughter in the 17-minute period they were alone together.

His plea of guilty to manslaughter was accepted by the prosecution.

The court heard shaking Aria with such force caused a bleed to her brain and the effect was either immediate or within seconds.

The injury was so severe and irreversible that her family was told she was unlikely to survive and her life support was switched off two days later on January 9.

Prosecutor Philippa McAtasney QC told the court Ring was interviewed on three occasions before being charged with Aria's murder in November.

He was specifically asked about shaken baby syndrome and had 'every opportunity' to tell the truth but chose not to.

"He said she seemed absolutely fine and then went limp. He was in a panic because he didn't know what had happened and maintained that he had not hit, dropped or done anything to harm his baby daughter. He said he had not lost his temper," said Miss McAtasney.

"The injury was consistent with shaking and the force used was likely to have been excessive and severe.

"It would have caused her to go limp immediately or seconds after the force was applied.

"James Ring was not being truthful when he said his daughter was fine and then suddenly went limp for no reason.

"The truth is that this defendant has known since he did it on January 7, 2017, that he caused the injury and death of his tiny, defenceless baby daughter by shaking her.

"He has kept that truth to himself until last week when he entered his plea of guilty to manslaughter."

Doctors also found evidence of an old impact injury caused when Ring struck her head but this would not have been fatal, added the prosecutor.

She also refuted Ring's legal team's argument that Ring, who was unemployed, was 'at the end of his tether'.

Aria was born prematurely in November 2016 and weighed just 4lbs 9oz.

She spent several days in hospital but was said to be developing well after being allowed home.

Her family described the tot as 'precious, perfect and beautiful'.

Ring, however, was said to be immature, lazy, prone to telling lies and 'always on his Xbox'.

As doctors at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, and London's Evelina Hospital fought to save Aria's life, he was said to be emotionless.

Jailing him, Judge Philip Statman said despite support from family and ongoing help from health agencies, he had ignored 'the cardinal rule' of not shaking a baby.

"On January 7, 2017, you were left alone with baby Aria," he said.

"At a time when you were feeding her you shook her, and shook her with catastrophic consequences.

"You knew when you did so just how vulnerable baby Aria was at that age should she be shaken.

"You knew exactly how a baby should be handled and supported."

"The injury was consistent with shaking and the force used was likely to have been excessive and severe" - judge Philip Statman

Judge Statman added Ring was in total denial up until he finally revealed just five days ago what he had done to his daughter.

He also told him that while he may have been tired and stressed, he was not at the end of his tether.

"The effect of Aria's death is utterly impossible to quantify," said the judge.

"It goes without saying that no sentence by this court can bring baby Aria back.

"No mathematical exercise could come anywhere near the pain and distress that a case of this nature causes."

Family members were in tears as they left the courtroom.

The prosecution offered no evidence to the charge of murder.

The court heard there was no evidence of any bruising or fractures to Aria.

The impact of her death on her family was laid bare in several victim statements.

Passing sentence, Judge Statman said looking after a baby was a "daunting responsibility", in particular for young parents, and he accepted sleeplessness and crying could cause tempers to fray.

"Parenting isn't easy. But on the other hand you had the good fortune of supportive extended family, you had a family nurse and you were made particularly aware by her of the cardinal rule when a baby is being supported by you in your arms. Never shake a baby," he told Ring.

"Having now accepted responsibility you have reached a stage where you are no longer in denial and you will live for the rest of your life in the knowledge of that which you did to baby Aria."

Ring sat in the dock shaking through much of the proceedings.

Oliver Saxby QC, defending, said Aria's feeding problem, diagnosed as acid reflux, was a recurring issue.

He told the court the "floodgates broke" when Ring finally confessed to shaking his daughter as he tried to give her a bottle.

He told Mr Saxby: "I don't know what it was. Just the whole stress and frustration and being exhausted and I shook her.

"I haven't told anyone before this because I couldn't cope with what I had done to my daughter."

Mr Saxby added Ring was not prone to violence and had acted out of character as he struggled to cope.

"He is a young man who did something terrible, something appalling.

"He stands in the dock utterly broken by what he has done, not just in the sense of 'poor me' but 'what have I done, I have taken the life of my own baby'."

Speaking after sentencing, senior investigating officer Detective Inspector, Tristan Kluibenschadl, said: "This has been an incredibly sad and emotional case and the death of any child is extremely tragic.

"My sympathies are with the baby's family who have suffered a drawn out case right up to the start of the trial due to Ring’s inability to simply tell the truth about what happened that day.

"Children are among the most vulnerable in our society and look to the care and love of their families for survival.

"With the case now over I hope the family can take the time to grieve and move forward from this very sad ordeal."

An NSPCC spokesman said: "This is a tragic case in which a tiny and defenceless baby was robbed of her life by someone who should have been protecting and nurturing her.

"Babies and young children are completely dependent upon the adults who care for them and Ring horrifically disregarded that responsibility.

"The NSPCC offers help and support to parents struggling to cope with babies crying and other stressful situations via our website and helpline."

Anyone concerned about a child or who needs support is urged to contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or via its website www.nspcc.org.uk while young people can call Childline on 0800 1111.