A young couple have been handed lengthy prison sentences for inflicting life-threatening injuries on a one-year-old child and then failing to tell the truth about what happened.
Violent Assault Leaves Toddler with Brain Damage
Amy Cave, 21, and Craig Neill, 26, were sentenced to ten and thirteen years respectively at Teesside Crown Court today. The pair were convicted of causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm. The court heard the toddler, who cannot be named, sustained a fractured skull and was left fighting for life after a series of injuries over several weeks.
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks described a pattern of 'sadistic behaviour' and injuries of increasing severity. The child's horrific catalogue of injuries included two jaw fractures, breaks to both wrists, and burns to a finger and thumb from a heat source.
Judge Condemns 'Dangerous' Offender and 'Self-Delusional' Mother
Sentencing the pair, Judge Jonathan Carroll was scathing. He stated that the significant skull fracture was consistent with the child being picked up and swung or thrown with force against a solid wall or floor in a house in Branksome, Darlington, in May. This act caused an immediate, life-threatening brain bleed.
'I am satisfied that this violence was inflicted by Neill,' Judge Carroll said, adding that Cave was either present and saw it or was nearby and must have heard the impact. The judge branded Neill a 'dangerous offender', citing his previous convictions for violence and his aggressive, controlling demeanour in court.
He said Cave was 'self-delusional', having prioritised her new relationship with Neill over her child's safety, despite warnings about his past. 'Miss Cave knows what happened and chooses not to be truthful about it,' he remarked.
Long Road to Recovery and Extended Licences
The court heard the toddler's injuries were so severe that part of their skull had to be removed to relieve pressure on the brain. Durham Police confirmed the child is now recovering well despite the ordeal.
Cave, of Waltham Close, Darlington, received a ten-year sentence. Neill, of Yarm Road, Darlington, was given thirteen years in prison with an additional one year on extended licence. Nicholas Lumley KC, for Cave, argued there was a significant distinction between inflicting injuries and standing by, but the judge held both accountable.
No mitigation was offered for Neill, who continued to maintain his innocence. The couple's failure to provide a truthful account of the events on May 26 sealed their fate in the eyes of the law.
