Leyland mum jailed for life for murdering seven-month old baby daughter
35-year old Jennifer Crichton will serve a minimum of 21 and a half years in prison.
A Leyland mum has been jailed for life for murdering her seven-month old baby daughter.
35-year old Jennifer Crichton will serve a minimum of 21 and a half years for "violently attacking" baby Amelia in April last year.
Crichton of Slater Lane, Leyland, was convicted in February after a trial at Preston Crown Court.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Amelia was born prematurely and was in hospital for the first six months of her life.
She only weighed 10 pounds and Judge Justice Holgate described her as "tiny and vulnerable" when she went home with her mum where she only lived for 16 days.
The court heard Crichton violently shook Amelia and caused "catastrophic head injuries"
Detecrive Inspector Simon Cheyte told us this case was on of the hardest he's had to deal with in his career:
Crichton was also found guilty of three counts of Section 18 assault and an offence of child neglect. These offences were committed some years ago in relation to another child.
On sentencing, Justice Holgate described Crichton as "self-centered, deceitful and lacking in any real remorse."
The court heard how she even lied to police claiming Amelia's dad had harmed her in what the judge described as an "attempt to save her own skin."
At Liverpool Crown Court today she was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 21 years and six months for murder. She was given 11 years for the three assaults and nine months for neglect, to run concurrent.
Police were called by the Ambulance Service in the early hours of Wednesday, April 19th last year after they attended an address on Slater Lane where seven month old Amelia Crichton had been found unresponsive.
The baby suffered cardiac arrest and was taken to Royal Preston Hospital but later transferred to Manchester Children’s Hospital where she sadly died on April 21st.
A post mortem examination revealed that the child died as a result of head injuries.
Detective Inspector Simon Cheyte, of Lancashire Constabulary’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “I am satisfied with the sentence which reflects the gravity of Jennifer Crichton’s offences.
“Jennifer Crichton has never given a satisfactory account of what happened at the address on that fateful night and we may never know exactly what happened which led to Amelia’s injuries. What is clear is that that she suffered catastrophic and deliberate injuries which she could not survive and the only person who could have caused those injuries is Jennifer Crichton.
“The person who should not be forgotten in this is Amelia. She should have been able to look to her mother for the protection and love of a parent. Instead this defenceless child found herself subjected to horrendous abuse and the injuries which led to her death.
“My thoughts remain with the wider family of baby Amelia, and the other victim, who have been through so much over the last year. I hope that this sentence can offer them some comfort as they try to move on with their lives.
“Getting to this point has been a great team effort from all involved and I am pleased that we have got justice for Amelia and finally for the other child after all these years.