A man who admitted smoking ’30 bongs a day’ will spend eight years behind bars after causing life-threatening injuries to an 18-month-old boy.
Rhyan Jon Stephens, 37, was sentenced in the Adelaide District Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to multiple offenses against the toddler, including causing harm with intent.
The court heard the child still suffers nightmares from the horrific attacks, which left him with several rib fractures, a damaged liver and a split pancreas.
The toddler’s injuries were discovered when he was rushed to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on July 15, 2020, while he was vomiting, feeling lethargic and refusing to eat.
Tests and scans showed that the boy had been physically abused over a period of months.
A large bruise was also found on the tip of the child’s penis Adelaide Advertiser reported.
Stephens took the stage to defend himself during the trial.
He told the court he smoked up to 30 hookahs a day when he was not looking after the children, and “smoked a hookah every hour” when he did.
Rhyan Jon Stephens (pictured) was sentenced to eight years behind bars for abusing an 18-month-old boy
Stephens (pictured with another child) admitted to smoking ’30 bongs a day’
Stephens claimed he usually started smoking cannabis with his morning coffee or after taking the children to school and daycare.
The 37-year-old gave several reasons for the toddler’s serious injuries, including that he had given the boy CPR after he almost drowned in the bath.
Stephens also claimed that the child’s most recent injuries were due to the toddler crawling on top of him while he was sleeping on a couch.
He said he accidentally “elbowed” the child but “didn’t think about it again” until the 18-month-old child was taken to hospital.
During Stephens’ initial police interview, he was asked if he was aware of any incidents that could have caused the boy’s injuries.
“Honestly, no,” he replied.
When asked in court why he didn’t tell police about the bath incident, Stephens said: “I was afraid of losing what I already had.”
After an investigation into the defense of mental incompetence, Stephens pleaded guilty to harming the toddler.
Stephens (pictured) will not be eligible for parole until October 2029
Prosecutor Karen Ingleton had previously said the injuries to the child’s penis were likely caused by “forceful tearing or squeezing”.
The court later heard that Stephens had forcibly squeezed it, causing the bruise.
He had also applied forceful pressure to the boy’s chest, causing his pancreas to travel into his spine.
It is unlikely the boy will ever be able to play contact sports due to his life-changing injuries.
He also suffers from persistent nightmares as a result of the abuse inflicted by Stephens.
The boy’s mother said the violence inflicted on her son had left her “lost, numb and depressed.”
District Court Judge Michael Burnett accepted that Stephens was remorseful for his action, but noted the lifelong consequences for the child.
“The crime was committed against a very vulnerable and defenseless member of society, namely a baby,” he said.
Stephens was sentenced to eight years and two months with a non-parole period of four years and 11 months.
He will not be eligible for parole until October 2029.