Stepdad Craig Crouch appeals conviction for murdering 10-month-old baby Jacob Crouch

A stepdad who was convicted for murdering 10-month-old baby Jacob Crouch has filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

The Judicial Office confirmed Craig Crouch, aged 39, described by a judge at Derby Crown Court as having committed “an abuse of trust of the most gross kind,” has lodged an application for leave to appeal.In August, following a lengthy trial, Crouch was found guilty of murder, while his partner and Jacob's mother, Gemma Barton, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child.

The Court of Appeal in London will hear Crouch's case at a date yet to be determined.

A spokesperson for the Judicial Office stated, “We can confirm that Craig Crouch has filed what is called 'an application for leave to appeal against conviction and sentence'.”The trial revealed the tragic details of Jacob's death on December 30, 2020, at the couple's home near Swadlincote.

Jacob suffered 39 rib fractures from a violent assault.

The presiding judge, Mr. Justice Kerr, sentenced Crouch to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 28 years before parole eligibility, commenting on the severity of the abuse and Crouch's lack of remorse.Barton and Crouch met on a dating website in September 2019, with Barton already four months pregnant by another man, Andrew Smith, who never met his son.

The trial heard how Crouch, a forklift driver, isolated Barton from her family and friends, leading to a situation where Jacob was subjected to physical abuse.Prosecutor Mary Prior described the household environment as a “culture of cruelty,” resulting in Jacob's death from a severe assault, leading to fatal internal injuries and peritonitis.

At the time of his death, Jacob had 19 visible bruises.In August, Barton, from Ray Street, Heanor, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in her child's death.

Mrs. Prior pointed out that both parents were complicit in the abuse, neither seeking medical help for Jacob's injuries.

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