A FATHER who killed his six-week-old baby by throwing him in the air and dropping him on his head has walked free from court.

Shakeel Hussain, aged 24, from Heaton, was playing with his son, Mohammed Ismail, when the accident happened on January 5 last year.

The baby later died in Alder Hey Hospital.

Hussain, who has learning difficulties, was at first charged with murder and causing or allowing the death of a child, which he denied, but those charges were later dropped when he pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Manchester Crown Court.

He was today given a 16-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and will be supervised by the probation service for 18 months. He had already spent 228 days in custody.

Hussain must also pay a £100 victim surcharge.

Judge Andrew Gilbart said he treated the case as one of “gross negligence”.