A NORTHERN Tasmanian man who murdered his nine-week-old daughter has been jailed for at least 12 years. Brett Andrew Kitchin, 28, shook and killed his infant daughter in February 2014, after becoming enraged when the baby girl would not feed. Justice Helen Wood described the murder as an appalling, severe and sustained act of violence. ''The defendant's duty was to protect and nurture his daughter,'' Justice Wood said. ''She was utterly defenceless and pitifully vulnerable.'' Kitchin regularly shook, squeezed, poked, pinched and screamed at his daughter for up to six weeks before her violent death. He pleaded guilty to her murder, and also to ill-treating a child for the string of earlier attacks. On February 2 last year, he shook Azzali Dolce May Thomson so forcefully that she suffered massive brain injuries, fractured shoulders and ribs, and bruises to her neck, jaw and face. Kitchin then put Azzali back into her bassinet and went back to bed. Azzali's mother woke to feed her screaming baby about an hour later, unaware of the attack. ''It was a terrible scream she had not heard before,'' Justice Wood said. The couple drove their baby to the Launceston General Hospital, where Kitchin was asked what happened. He said he had bumped Azzali's head when getting her out of the car one day. Azzali's brain damage was serious and regressive. She was airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital, but died four days later. Kitchin initially told police her injuries were inflicted by accident getting out of the car. However, in the months after his daughter's death, he was overcome with grief and guilt and became suicidal. In August last year, Kitchin confessed to the murder and was taken into custody. Justice Wood said his confession was critical to pressing charges. ''If not for his admission, there would not have been sufficient evidence against him,'' she said. Justice Wood took Kitchin's confession and guilty pleas into account in sentencing him. She said the murder was not planned or deliberate, but was not an uncharacteristic act of violence. Justice Wood took into account Kitchin's methamphetamine use, as well as his impulsive, irritable and aggressive personality, but said neither factor mitigated the seriousness of his crimes. Kitchin's sentence was backdated to when he was first taken into custody. He will be eligible for parole in 2026.
A NORTHERN Tasmanian man who murdered his nine-week-old daughter has been jailed for at least 12 years.
Brett Andrew Kitchin, 28, shook and killed his infant daughter in February 2014, after becoming enraged when the baby girl would not feed.
Justice Helen Wood described the murder as an appalling, severe and sustained act of violence.
''The defendant's duty was to protect and nurture his daughter,'' Justice Wood said.
''She was utterly defenceless and pitifully vulnerable.''
Kitchin regularly shook, squeezed, poked, pinched and screamed at his daughter for up to six weeks before her violent death.
He pleaded guilty to her murder, and also to ill-treating a child for the string of earlier attacks.
On February 2 last year, he shook Azzali Dolce May Thomson so forcefully that she suffered massive brain injuries, fractured shoulders and ribs, and bruises to her neck, jaw and face.
Kitchin then put Azzali back into her bassinet and went back to bed.
Azzali's mother woke to feed her screaming baby about an hour later, unaware of the attack.
''It was a terrible scream she had not heard before,'' Justice Wood said.
The couple drove their baby to the Launceston General Hospital, where Kitchin was asked what happened.
He said he had bumped Azzali's head when getting her out of the car one day.
Azzali's brain damage was serious and regressive. She was airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital, but died four days later.
Kitchin initially told police her injuries were inflicted by accident getting out of the car.
However, in the months after his daughter's death, he was overcome with grief and guilt and became suicidal.
In August last year, Kitchin confessed to the murder and was taken into custody.
Justice Wood said his confession was critical to pressing charges.
''If not for his admission, there would not have been sufficient evidence against him,'' she said.
Justice Wood took Kitchin's confession and guilty pleas into account in sentencing him.
She said the murder was not planned or deliberate, but was not an uncharacteristic act of violence.
Justice Wood took into account Kitchin's methamphetamine use, as well as his impulsive, irritable and aggressive personality, but said neither factor mitigated the seriousness of his crimes.
Kitchin's sentence was backdated to when he was first taken into custody.
