During his short life, nursing staff at the Somerset hospital said they had many concerns about his parents’ behaviour, particularly Gunter’s repeated rough handling of him, Bristol Crown Court was told.
A medical expert said during the trial that Brendon’s injuries were consistent with his head being swung against a hard surface “more than once” while he was held by his ankles.
Ch Insp Nadine Partridge, of the major crime investigations team at Avon and Somerset Police, said the case was one of the most challenging of her 22-year career as a detective and described Gunter’s actions as “evil”.
She said having to view the post-mortem injuries had been very distressing for investigators.
“The extent of the injuries are nothing I’ve ever seen before. Brendon’s little tiny precious body at just two weeks old, there wasn’t any part of him that wasn’t harmed,” she said.