A 21-year-old man wept in court today after being convicted of murdering his six-week-old baby boy, who died with 28 bone fractures.

McKenzie Ellis - who was rushed to King's College Hospital from his home in Broadstairs - had sustained 18 breaks to his ribs and 10 elsewhere along with a bleed to the brain when he died in July last year.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court has decided that his father, Lee Vernon, killed the child deliberately.

He sat with his head bowed as the verdicts were delivered just yards away from the mother of his child, who had attended every day of the trial

Prosecutors told how he had caused the fatal head injury by shaking the baby boy.

Vernon claims he accidentally dropped the baby.

He had denied murder and two charges of inflicting GBH with intent. But the jury rejected his account and convicted him of all three charges.

At his trial at Maidstone Crown Court, the prosecution told how Vernon had "intentionally inflicted non-accidental injuries on his son", resulting in a fractured skull and the bleed on the brain.

McKenzie was taken to the QEQM Hospital on July 23 after collapsing at his home in Linley Road, Broadstairs.

He was transferred to Kings College Hospital in London but never recovered and died three days later, aged just 47 days old.

The UK's only forensic bone expert, Professor David Mangham, says he believes they were caused deliberately.

Sentence was adjourned until November 29 for the preparation of reports when McKenzie's mother, Katrina Ellis will personally read to the court her statement about the impact of her baby's death.

Reacting to the jury's verdict, an NSPCC spokesman said: "His was a horrific and senseless murder of an innocent baby at the hands of a man who should have been nurturing and protecting him.

"We all have a responsibility to look out for the welfare of children and it is vital that anyone concerned about a child speaks out.

"You can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk"

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