Man who killed three-year-old child during Christmas jailed for 11 years
Three-year-old Jessica Dalgleish died on Christmas Eve
A man who killed a three-year-old girl in his care for not finishing her lunch has been jailed for 11 years.
Paul Marsh, 27, caused 'catastrophic' injuries to the child, Jessica Dalgleish, after he became angry at her home near Folkstone in Kent in 2019.
Marsh had grown increasingly irritated towards the toddler in the weeks leading up to her death. Friends and family had noticed bruises on the girl's face and head, suggesting she had been assaulted prior to her killing.
Jessica sustained fatal head injuries during the attack and, after being airlifted to specialist care in London, the child passed away as a result of her wounds on Christmas Eve.
Following an investigation from Kent Police, it was found that Jessica's head injuries were caused by impact, such as being thrown against the wall, leading officers to arrest Marsh for child abuse.
At Maidstone Crown Court, Marsh was convicted for the child's manslaughter and child cruelty at a trial on November 3rd.
Today (December 20th), Marsh was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the crimes he committed. He will not be released until 2032, aged 38.
Speaking about the case, Kent Police expressed their condolences to Jessica and her family for what they went through.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber, Senior Investigating Officer for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "This is a tragic case in which a young girl has been robbed of her life before it had really begun.
"A meticulous investigation by my team, including sensitive interviewing of a number of witnesses and careful analysis of complicated medical evidence, has led to Marsh being found guilty of manslaughter.
"I hope the jury's verdicts and the sentence handed down today give Jessica's relatives some sense of closure as they continue to mourn her tragic death."
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