Nanny faces jail after shaking baby to first leg of text only death

An Australian nanny, Louise Sullivan, was warned last night she faces jail after admitting at the Old Bailey shaking to death…

An Australian nanny, Louise Sullivan, was warned last night she faces jail after admitting at the Old Bailey shaking to death the "sweetest little girl I have ever looked after".

Six-month-old Caroline Jongen died in her parents' arms at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital as a result of brain damage. Sullivan (27), was later charged with her murder - which she denied throughout.

Her trial, expected to last five weeks, was due to start yesterday, but at the last moment she pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter - which was accepted by the prosecution.

Sullivan, wearing a dark jacket and with her blonde hair pulled back with a brown hairclip, read her plea from a card handed to her. The baby's parents, Mrs Muriel and Mr Marcel Jongen, sat a few feet away behind a row of barristers.

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After hearing that Caroline's parents had been told of the plea earlier, the judge, Mr Justice Stephen Mitchell, said he agreed the decision was "entirely appropriate". Mr Nigel Sweeney, prosecuting, said the evidence was clear that Sullivan loved the girl and that the baby was confident and happy with her. "This is not a case where there has ever been a suggestion of premeditation by the defendant," Mr Sweeney said.

"The shaking was, on any view, of a relatively short duration", Mr Sweeney said, amounting to about five to 10 seconds.

But Mr Sweeney said shaking a baby for five to 10 seconds would lead to the brain being shaken "like a jelly in a mould".

It would lead to nerve cells being severed, the brain swelling and being starved of oxygen.

"It is a terrible downward spiral of death of the cells and eventually of the brain itself," he added.

Sullivan was remanded on bail for two weeks for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. But the judge warned her: "I am sure you realise that the fact I am giving you bail does not close any of the options open to me. Do not mislead yourself about that."

Sullivan's father and brother were already in Britain and her mother is due to arrive today.

"There is a family unit. She will never be on her own," said her lawyer, Ms Nadine Radford QC.