Jacob Crouch: Stepfather who murdered 10-month-old baby will not have sentence increased

Craig Crouch, 39, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years Credit: Credit: PA

A man from Derbyshire who murdered his 10-month-old stepson will not have his sentenced increased.

Craig Crouch, 39, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of Jacob Crouch, as well as three counts of child cruelty.

The boy's mother, Gemma Barton, 33, was jailed for 10 years for causing or allowing his death and one count of child cruelty.

Last month the Attorney General's Office (AGO) said both sentences were being considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

But the AGO has now said it will not refer either sentence to the Court of Appeal, as the test as to whether a sentence was unduly lenient "was not met in this case".

A spokesman said: "The Solicitor General was deeply saddened and appalled by this case.

"After careful consideration, the Solicitor General has concluded that this case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.

"A referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme to the Court of Appeal can only be made if a sentence is not just lenient but unduly so, such that the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence.

"The threshold is a high one and the test was not met in this case."

Crouch and Barton were both jailed after a seven-week trial at Derby Crown Court.

The court heard that Jacob was found dead in his cot at his home in Linton, near Swadlincote in Derbyshire, on December 30 2020 after a "vicious" fatal attack at the hands of his stepfather.

He was found to have 39 rib fractures, 19 visible bruises and internal injuries comparable with car crash victims, at the time of his death.

Sentencing him on August 4, Mr Justice Kerr told Crouch: "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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