Childminder jailed for 16 years after inflicting serious injuries on two babies

A registered childminder who left one baby with a serious brain injury and another with a broken leg has been jailed for 16 years.

Anouska Coleman, 37, gave a seven-month-old girl a bleed on the brain whil caring for her in March 2015.

Following trial, Coleman, from Romford in Essex, was convicted of grievous bodily harm over the injury - likely caused by trauma.

That investigation prompted a review of a previous case where a nine-month-old girl was left with a fractured leg while under Coleman's care in October 2014 but resulted in no action being taken.

A second count of GBH was then brought against her for which she was also convicted at Basildon Crown Court.

Shortly before 4pm on March 16, 2015, Coleman had dialed emergency services to report that the seven-month-old she was looking after had become unresponsive.

The tot was transferred to Great Ormond Street where she was diagnosed with a bleed on the brain.

Experts concluded the injury could have been caused by shaking or trauma shortly before paramedics arrived.

The nine-month-old baby suffered a fractured femur whilst in Coleman's care the previous year.

Coleman has now been sentenced to seven and nine years respectively for the two counts.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Paterson said: "The parents of these two baby girls put their trust in Coleman to look after them and she abused that trust in the most awful way.

"The lives of the girls and their families have been hugely impacted and the girls will carry the scars of the injuries they have sustained at Coleman’s hands through the rest of their lives.

"We may never really know how or why Coleman injured these defenceless babies, but ultimately she caused their injuries and must now face the consequences of her actions."