A young father was found guilty of murdering his six-month-old daughter yesterday and sent to prison for life.

A Supreme Court jury of six men and six women spent just under two hours deliberating the fate of Karim Shaheed Salahuddin, 27, yesterday morning.

When they returned their decision - a unanimous verdict of guilty - Salahuddin was immediately sentenced to life imprisonment by Chief Justice Richard Ground for the murder of Cassidy Ann Salahuddin on May 5, 2003.

The verdict comes after an emotional, four-week trial in which testimony was given by medical experts, local doctors and the mother of baby Cassidy - Amy McHarg.

Prior to handing down his sentence, Mr. Justice Ground asked Salahuddin if he had anything to say.

Salahuddin told a tense court room: "I know the truth. I loved my daughter and would never have killed her or done something to hurt her intentionally."

The reaction to the verdict was emotional on all sides. Family members of Salahuddin and family members of Cassidy - including Ms McHarg and grandmother Donna Cassidy - broke out in tears when the decision of guilty on murder was read.

Mrs. Cassidy told the media that she was relieved with the verdict.

"It was a confirmation of what we already knew - we knew exactly what happened," Cassidy's grandmother said.

In closing arguments this week, Senior Prosecutor Kulandra Ratneser and Crown Counsel Wayne Caines said Cassidy's death was a result of shaken baby syndrome caused by her father.

Alternatively the defence lawyer in the case, John Perry QC, and lawyer Elizabeth Christopher had argued that the baby sustained her fatal injuries when her father fell while carrying her.

Injuries found on Cassidy's body included massive bleeding in her brain and eyes, fractures to the right and left side of the skull, and bruises to her forehead, lip, chest and shoulder.

Dr. Randell Alexander, an expert on shaken baby syndrome from the University of Florida, told the court last week that he believed Cassidy's injuries were indicative of shaken baby syndrome.

And forensic pathologist Dr. Valerie Rao testified during the trial that bleeding around the brain and in the eyes was consistent with trauma caused by being shaken back and forth with extreme force.

Salahuddin initially told Police that he shook Cassidy several times to get her to stop crying. He later changed his story, accusing Police of falsifying his statement and adding words to the manuscript which he would never have used.

Salahuddin, who is a diabetic who said he was not caring for his diabetes properly at the time of the incident, said he had been overcome with dizziness while carrying his daughter in a pumpkin seat outside his residence.

He claimed he slipped and his daughter rolled down the asphalt hill in the seat, falling out partially as she was held in by only one strap.

In the emotion-charged atmosphere that followed the trial yesterday, Salahuddin's family refused to comment on the verdict.

Family members accusing this newspaper of reporting on the trial falsely and also approached a ZBM cameraman shouting: "Stop harassing us, get out of here. This is none of your business. Get the hell out of this yard."

Mr. Perry also declined to comment when questioned by The Royal Gazette while prosecutor Mr. Ratneser said he felt justice had been served.

"A jury verdict is a jury verdict," said Mr. Ratneser.