Baby murderer Daniel McLaren deemed 'low to medium risk'

Daniel McLaren will serve a minimum of 22 years in prison before he is considered for parole

A father who murdered his baby son by shaking him to death was deemed a "low-to-medium" risk of committing domestic abuse, a serious case review has found.

Daniel McLaren, 31, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for murdering his four-month-old son Jack in June 2017.

A case review into Jack's death found McLaren's risk grading "did not always reflect the historic or ongoing concerns".

It added there were "lessons to be learned" to safeguard children.

The "summary of learning" published by West Berkshire Local Safeguarding Children Board said McLaren was "well known to the police and probation services" and to the council's children's services.

The report added "not all practitioners" were aware of "domestic abuse repeat incident meetings" and some professionals saw them as "police meetings and did not know that any professional was able to refer cases".

During his trial at Reading Crown Court, jurors heard McLaren, of Newbury, Berkshire, had shaken Jack three weeks before his death.

Jack died in hospital as a result of a "forcible shake", which caused bleeding on his brain, the court heard.

'System issue'

The court heard McLaren had 21 previous convictions for 33 offences, including 10 convictions of battery, one of causing grievous bodily harm and one of wounding.

He was convicted of murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to another child.

The report said McLaren was able to avoid starting a court-imposed "building better relationships" programme for a "considerable length of time" due to there being "no timescales set for completion.

It added as well as the learning required, good practice was identified in the support offered to Jack's mother and the children following Jack's injuries.

The report also called on the council to write to the Ministry of Justice to raise a "system issue" in relation to the timescale for a "building better relationships" programme to be completed if imposed as part of a community order.