Micheal Ashley Macrae jailed for violently shaking infant son causing injuries that led to his death

A Narrogin father who shook his infant son out of “anger and frustration” so “vigorously and violently” that it left him with catastrophic brain injuries that eventually led to his death has been jailed for 11 and a half years. Little Nathaniel Lawrence survived for just under a year after his father, Micheal Ashley Macrae, subjected his seven-week-old body to the horrific trauma that caused bleeding on his brain, fractured ribs and injuries to his arms and spine. However, Macrae didn’t just shake the infant in his fit of rage. He also left him covered in multiple bruises — bruises Supreme Court Justice Anthony Derrick said could only have been caused by something other than violent shaking. And while the precise cause of those injuries could not be determined, Justice Derrick said it was clear Nathaniel was subjected to “one or more acts of blunt force trauma” by his father during the early hours of October 9, 2017. During Macrae’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday, the court was told he had refused to return Nathaniel to his mother Erica the day before the incident forcing her to call police to carry out a welfare check. When police visited the home they found the baby boy to be in good health. But less than 24 hours later, Macrae violently shook his son who had been unable to settle throughout the night. After realising something was wrong with Nathaniel later that morning, Macrae took him to Narrogin Hospital where he told one nurse he had rolled off his change table and denied to another that he had dropped him or hurt him in any way. Nathaniel was quickly rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital where a CT scan revealed he had bleeding between his brain and skull, multiple bruises, fractured ribs and fractured vertebrae. The head of neurology at Perth Children’s Hospital testified during Macrae’s trial the brain injury suffered by Nathaniel was the “most severe injury he had ever seen in a child who had survived for a period of time”. After he was released from ICU, Nathaniel and his mum Erica moved into respite care where she learned to look after her son before moving into her family’s home where he died in September 2018 from pneumonia in combination with an acquired brain injury. Macrae was initially charged with the murder of his son but was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter following a trial last year. In sentencing Macrae, Justice Derrick took into account his age at the time, his inability to regulate his emotions and his personal circumstances — the court was told he had a difficult and disadvantaged childhood. But he said not only was his offending serious but Macrae still failed to take responsibility for his actions and had shown no genuine remorse. After he was arrested, Macrae tried to blame his ex, claiming he had been set up and that it was the child’s mother who had caused the injuries. But Justice Derrick said based on the medical evidence, the jury did not believe him saying it was clear Nathaniel’s injuries were caused by his hands. “You robbed Nathaniel of a long and happy life,” he said. “Your conduct has had a significant and adverse impact on Nathaniel’s sister and a devastating impact on Ms Lawrence.” Outside court, Nathaniel’s mother Erica said the sentence was more than they were expecting but added nothing could ever be enough. She said the past few years had been difficult and her family were still dealing with their grief and that Nathaniel was “just a beautiful, innocent boy”. “Because that’s what he was,” she added. “He was innocent. And he was vulnerable. And he should have had his father protect and look out for him and not do this. And I think it hits home a lot more knowing that it was his father that did this and not just some person. He was a beautiful boy from the moment he was born to the moment that he passed away and we will cherish him.” Macrae will be eligible for patrol after serving nine and a half years.