AN evil couple who left a one-year-old child with a fractured skull, burns and broken wrists have been jailed for more than 20 years.
Craig Neill, 26, and Amy Cave, 21, left the youngster with horrifically painful injuries which were the likely result of “sadistic behaviour and significant force,” a court was told.
Emergency services had rushed to a house in the Branksome area of Darlington on May 26, following a report of an unresponsive child.
The child was found to have extensive bruising across their body, including their head and neck, as well has burns on their hand, a fractured jaw and both wrists broken in three places.
The child was rushed to hospital where doctors confirmed a fractured skull and significant brain injury, requiring a section of skull to be temporarily removed to ease the swelling.
Police arrested Neill and Cave in connection with the incident but they denied being responsible for the child’s injuries.
Medical experts said the injuries had been caused by “blunt force” and it was highly likely they had been inflicted deliberately.
Both Cave and Neill were jointly charged with causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm.
The pair pleaded not guilty to the charge during their trial at Teesside Crown Court but were found guilty.
They appeared again in court on Wednesday afternoon for sentencing.
The majority of the physical injuries were inflicted by Neill, the court was told.
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said the child had suffered “life-threatening injuries” and burns which would have been “extremely painful”.
Mr Perks also said the child had suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Some of the injuries, he said, such as the burns, showed signs of “sadistic behaviour” and “significant force” had been used.
The court also heard that while Cave had no previous convictions, Neill had eight previous convictions for 14 offences, including racially aggravated harassment, robbery involving a knife, and stalking of a previous partner.
Defending Neill, Peter Wilcock KC, said he “thoroughly maintains his innocence” and has mental health issues.
He added: “He had adverse childhood experiences… plainly Mr Neill’s account was not accepted by the jury.”
Nicholas Lumley KC, defending Cave, said she had failed to acknowledge she was in a “toxic relationship”.
Judge Jonathan Carroll said Neill had acted aggressively during the trial and added he had shown “no evidence of remorse”.
He said Neill appeared to be “a man who was barely in control of himself and his temper” and that he is a dangerous offender.
Neill was sentenced to a 14-year extended prison sentence, 13 years of which will be custodial.
Cave was jailed for 10 years.
The judge said that neither had given truthful accounts of what happened to the child.
