Stepdad guilty of murdering 10-month-old who had at least 39 rib fractures
A stepfather has been found guilty of murdering his 10-month-old baby boy.
Jacob Crouch had suffered at least 39 rib fractures and was left to die ‘in his cot, alone’.
His stepfather Craig Crouch, 39, has now been found guilty of murder, the BBC reports.
Jacob’s mother Gemma Barton, 33, has been cleared of murdering her son, but she was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child.
They are both set to be sentenced at Derby crown court on Friday.
After four days of deliberation by a jury following a seven-week trial, Crouch was convicted of murder and three counts of child cruelty.
Barton was cleared of murder, an alternative charge of manslaughter, and two counts of child cruelty, but was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child and a third count of child cruelty.
Baby Jacob suffered a ‘vicious assault’ at the hands of his stepfather. He contracted an infection and died at his home in Linton near Swadlincote, Derbyshire on December 30, 2020.
During the trial, prosecutors said Jacob’s injuries had been caused by him being kicked or stamped on.
Opening the case in June, prosecutor Mary Prior KC said: ‘Neither sought medical help for Jacob at any stage for the pain and suffering caused when his bones were broken or in the few days that followed.
‘Neither got Jacob out of what must have been a life with episodes of significant pain and suffering.
‘Jacob was not given the care that as a baby he needed and deserved.’
The court heard it was ‘not remotely possible’ that Jacob’s injuries had been self-inflicted, and were consistent with victims of car crashes or falls from multi-storey buildings.
But Crouch claimed in a 999 call that Jacob was ‘fine’ just two hours before he was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Giving evidence, Crouch, a forklift driver at JCB, said that Jacob’s injuries had ‘nothing to do with me’, stating that he ‘didn’t see anything’ and ‘didn’t see anyone do anything to hurt’ his stepson.
Barton also denied ever harming her son, and when asked who could have inflicted the injuries said: ‘It was not me so that leaves Craig.’
She claimed her son was her ‘bundle of joy’ and said it felt like her ‘whole world had just ended’ when she was awoken by Crouch screaming that Jacob was dead.
Both defendants remained silent as the verdicts were read out, with people in the public gallery weeping.
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