Stepfather guilty of vicious baby murder

The stepfather of a 10-month-old baby who endured a “culture of cruelty” has been found guilty of his murder.

Jacob Crouch suffered at least 39 rib fractures, and died from a “vicious assault” at the hands of Craig Crouch, Derby Crown Court heard.

Jacob died “in his cot, alone” on 30 December 2020 at home near Swadlincote, Derbyshire, having suffered a “living hell”.

Jacob’s mother Gemma Barton has been cleared of murdering the boy.

However, she was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child.

The pair will sentenced at at the same court on Friday.

Crouch, 39, was also convicted of three counts of child cruelty.

Barton, 33, was also cleared of 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.

During the trial, prosecutors said Jacob’s injuries had been caused by him being kicked or stamped on.

They said neither parent gave him the care he “needed or deserved” or seeking medical attention for him.

The seven-week trial had heard Barton met Crouch while four months pregnant with Jacob and they became “very close, very quickly” with Crouch, calling Jacob “our little boy” after only a month.

Jacob was born healthy on 17 February 2020, with Crouch named as his father on the birth certificate, but prosecutor Mary Prior KC said he was “assaulted causing bruising on a regular basis for at least six months” from the age of just four months, and was referred to as “the devil” in one text message.

The jury heard Jacob had suffered “repeated physical abuse” in the days before he died in Linton.

Forklift truck operator Crouch, of Donisthorpe Lane, Moira, near Swadlincote, had given evidence to say Jacob’s injuries had nothing to do with him.

Barton, of Ray Street, Heanor, Derbyshire, also had denied harming Jacob and, when asked by prosecutors who had caused his injuries, said: “It was not me, so that leaves Craig.”