A Whangarei man has been jailed for an assault that has left a baby with permanent brain damage.
Lance Teriwhi Corkery, 39, admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Tinishar Walker, who was 17 months old at the time.
The court was told the assault happened on 11 August last year when the baby's mother left the child with Corkery, her partner.
He shook the baby violently when she cried and dropped her twice, allowing her head to strike an open drawer.
Corkery was jailed for four years and 10 months on Tuesday, with a non-parole period of half that.
The judge said he had allowed for an early guilty plea and for the fact that Corkery had suffered a recent brain injury.
