Gold Coast man who killed infant daughter jailed, eligible for parole in early 2017.

A man convicted of killing his baby daughter could be out of jail within months, after being set a non-parole period of three-and-a-half years in the Supreme Court in Brisbane.

Shayne Robert Quinn, 29, had previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter and grievous bodily harm of his four-month-old daughter, who died on the Gold Coast in September 2013.

In a sentencing hearing today, prosecutor Dennis Kinsella told the court Quinn violently shook and smothered Courtney Quinn by holding his hand over her mouth while she had a dummy in her mouth.

“The act of asphyxiation would have taken some time,” he said.

An autopsy also found the child had multiple rib, arm, and leg fractures at various stages of healing.

“It’s not just an episode of tiredness or frustration,” Mr Kinsella said.

Quinn had told police he and his then partner Jasmine Pearl Harris found their daughter face down. He admitted to shaking her but said it was not vigorous.

Justice Kate Holmes described the killing as “horrific”, but took into account his early plea of guilty and his good behaviour in prison.

“This was a terrible episode and you did a terrible thing.”

But she said there was nothing to indicate that Quinn, who has been in custody since 2013, posed any threat to the community.

“You’ve behaved well. You’ve used that time well,” she said.

Justice Holmes sentenced Quinn to eight years behind bars, but set his parole date at March 23, 2017.

By then he will have served three-and-a-half years’ jail.

The baby’s mother, Jasmin Pearl Harris, is already serving two-and-a-half years’ jail for failing to provide the necessities of life and child cruelty.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.