Jacob Crouch: Stepdad who murdered baby could have sentence increased
Warning: Readers may find the details in this article upsetting
A man who murdered his 10-month-old stepson in a "vicious" fatal attack could have his minimum 28-year sentence increased.
Craig Crouch, 39, was found guilty of murder and three counts of child cruelty earlier this month and jailed for life after causing "acute physical and mental suffering" to Jacob Crouch over six months.
Crouch assaulted Jacob in a "brutal" attack in December 2020, and a jury heard the child had 39 rib fractures, 19 visible bruises and internal injuries comparable with car crash victims.
The baby was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the East Midlands Ambulance Service.
An inquest heard a post-mortem examination found the baby died from peritonitis - an infection of the stomach - which was caused by traumatic bowel perforation.
Jacob’s mother, Gemma Barton, was also jailed at Derby Crown Court for 10 years for causing or allowing his death, and child cruelty.
A seven-week trial heard Jacob was found dead in his cot at the family home in Foxley Chase, Linton, near Swadlincote in Derbyshire, in December 2020.
Prosecutor Mary Prior KC told the jury at Derby Crown Court that Jacob endured a "culture of cruelty" and died from a "vicious assault" which saw him "kicked or stamped on with such severe force that it fractured a rib and caused a tear in his stomach and bowel".
He later contracted peritonitis – an infection of the lining of the abdominal organs – and died "in his cot, alone" on December 30 2020 at his home in Foxley Chase, Linton, near Swadlincote in Derbyshire, with 19 visible bruises at the time of death.
As well as the visible bruises on his face and chest, Mrs Prior said that there were 15 “separate incidents of bruising” and post-mortem examinations found multiple internal bruises and bleeds, including evidence of “severe and significant blunt force trauma” to his abdomen – an injury akin to those caused by high-speed traffic collisions.
The Attorney General’s Office told the BBC the sentences were being reviewed, with both were being considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.
They added the Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case and make a decision.
In a victim personal statement read out in court, Andrew Smith, Jacob’s father, said before the sentencing: "The pain will be with me for a lifetime. It will never go away.
"I can’t understand how or why you could inflict the injuries you did, Craig.
"My boy has some justice now, but it will never be enough for his suffering."
Jailing Crouch at Derby Crown Court earlier this month, Mr Justice Kerr said he was some ways, an unlikely murderer" but was "domineering, aggressive, boastful and arrogant" and caused Jacob "intense and prolonged harm."
He said: "Jacob was a happy, smiley bubbly baby who never complained about the horrific treatment he was receiving.
"He had to put up with it, and he did, often with a smile. Even those who never knew Jacob personally will miss him.
"You caused Jacob acute physical and mental suffering.
"You inflicted first bruising, and then fractured ribs, on this little baby.
"You have not shown any remorse for what you did."
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