Man who tried to gouge baby's eyes out before throwing him out of window jailed for life
'This is one of the most shocking incidents that I have seen in the whole of my career'
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A man who threw a baby out of a second-floor window has been jailed for life.
Sean Ziemelis tried to strangle the baby and gouge his eyes out, before dangling him out of a window for two minutes.
Neighbours were woken by screams at around 2am, and gathered in the street below, shouting at Ziemielis to stop. But Ziemelis threw the baby onto the ground, away from the crowd.
Miraculously, a member of the public caught the baby by his legs as he fell, saving his life.
The seven-month-old infant suffered only minor physical injuries, including cuts on his cheek and eyelid and swelling to his head.
The 31-year-old also threw the baby’s mother out of the window. Her fall was broken by bins and she suffered cuts, bruises and a loose tooth.
Ziemelis, of Reginald Street in Luton, pleaded guilty to all charges. He was sentenced for one count of attempted murder, two counts of actual bodily harm and one count of assault by beating. He must serve a minimum of 12 years in prison, he was told.
“This is one of the most shocking incidents that I have seen in the whole of my career”, said detective constable Louise Granger, “and incredibly traumatic for all those involved”.
“Ziemelis is clearly a very dangerous individual and I’m glad that he has received such a severe sentence which reflects his horrendous actions from that evening.
“It is only thanks to the actions of a member of the public that the baby is still alive today.”
Ziemelis will be treated under the Mental Health Act at Brockfield House before returning to prison, said Bedfordshire Police.
Additional reporting by PA