months babyjacob stepfather over the death of ten months baby jacob crouch. stepfather over the death of ten months babyjacob crouch. we are hoping to cross to the court to listen to the judge sentencing the stepfather, craig crouch, he was found guilty of the baby's murder. we are hoping to cross live to hear the judges we are hoping to cross live to hear thejudges comments in we are hoping to cross live to hear the judges comments in the last few moments. let's listening. fiften the judges comments in the last few moments. let's listening. often with a smile and — moments. let's listening. often with a smile and laughter— moments. let's listening. often with a smile and laughter in _ moments. let's listening. often with a smile and laughter in defiance - moments. let's listening. often with a smile and laughter in defiance of. a smile and laughter in defiance of his tormentor. even those of as he never knew him personally will miss him. the widerfamily, the pain of loss would yourfour him. the widerfamily, the pain of loss would your four years and decades and must evoke profound sympathy of all reasonable people. i have also seen... find sympathy of all reasonable people. i have also seen. . ._ have also seen... and 'ust to let ou have also seen... and 'ust to let you know. * have also seen... and 'ust to let you know. we h have also seen... and 'ust to let you know, we will _ have also seen... and 'ust to let you know, we will be h have also seen... and just to let you know, we will be cutting - have also seen... and just to let i you know, we will be cutting away from it coverage because a number of the people in this court case have to stay anonymous so we will be leaving proceedings every now and then, but we are trying to listen to then, but we are trying to listen to the judge as he sentences jacob's stepfather who was found guilty of murdering ten—month—old babyjacob. murdering ten—month—old baby jacob. his murdering ten—month—old babyjacob. his mother was cleared of murder but found guilty of causing or allowing death of the child.— death of the child. respect the 'u 's death of the child. respect the jury's verdict — death of the child. respect the jury's verdict and _ death of the child. respect the jury's verdict and it _ death of the child. respect the jury's verdict and it is - death of the child. respect the jury's verdict and it is a - death of the child. respect the jury's verdict and it is a fact - death of the child. respect the jury's verdict and it is a fact of| jury's verdict and it is a fact of which i sure beyond reasonable doubt. if i am unsure something will say so. missed out crouch and miss barton, you met in 2019 when you, miss barton, were pregnant with jacob by another man who had assaulted you.— jacob by another man who had assaulted you. and again, we are 'ust assaulted you. and again, we are just cutting _ assaulted you. and again, we are just cutting away _ assaulted you. and again, we are just cutting away in _ assaulted you. and again, we are just cutting away in proceedings i just cutting away in proceedings again just to protect the identity of some of those involved in this court case. as i was saying, his mother, gemma barton, cleared of murder but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. you cared nothing for their rights and interests, putting your physical and interests, putting your physical and emotional relationship above all else. mr crouch, in your conversations with miss barton, you are domineering, aggressive, domineering and arrogant. you, miss barton, responded with meek misplaced affection. you, mr crouch, told implausible bragging lies to miss barton and others about your supposed wealth, status, importance, collocations and experience. among many lies, you falsely told miss barton you regularly met with senior politicians, including the prime minister flew helicopters, politicians, including the prime ministerflew helicopters, earned politicians, including the prime minister flew helicopters, earned a high salary in a senior management role, had custody of your daughter and had qualifications in sociology, massage and hairdressing. you, miss barton, chose not to challenge these obvious lies, though in your heart you must have known they were untrue. mr crouch, you are a shop floor worker doing a decentjob, you could have been well satisfied with. he promised you, miss barton, a car and money. there was no car and you gave him control of your money. you had debts, your suspicions, but preferred to put them out of your mind. as you accepted at trial, you took much of what he said with a pinch of salt but put blinkers on. mr crouch, you assumed the role of jacob's father. you, miss barton... and again we are just cutting away from those proceedings. the defendants of course being brought back into the dark as we are hearing this sentencing. gemma barton, we are told, is wearing a green top and white cardigan. craig crouch is wearing an open collar, grey long sleeve shirt and grey waistcoat. that is coming from some of my colleagues inside the court watching these proceedings and the sentencing from mrjustice kerr kc. we have had to cut away for legal reasons but we will try and get you back that sentencing as soon as possible as we are seeing craig crouch and gemma barton being sentenced today. the judge saying he and the jury have scene. . . scene... and this has been a very harrowing case for the jury, scene... and this has been a very harrowing case for thejury, for the public to hear about these details and for the widerfamily, public to hear about these details and for the wider family, the pain caused by his death will go on for many years to come, said mrjustice kerr. and we did here when the guilty verdict was read out, a number of people in the courtroom breakdown when they heard that jacob's stepfather was found guilty of murdering ten—month—old jacob. his mother of course was cleared of murder but found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. we will try and take you back to proceedings as soon as possible. we will try and take you back into the court but my colleagues in court are reporting at the moment and we are saying for legal reasons we have to leave proceedings. there are a lot of people involved where identities have to be protected during this very, very complex and distressing case and if you want to head online as well, we do have live coverage on line if you head to the bbc news website. my colleagues in courts are constantly updating proceedings from there. that is if you just headed to there. that is if you just headed to the bbc news live page and you can see that. we heard from one of the prosecutors who said that baby jacob was assaulted on a regular basis. let's head back to the court now. injury that caused them where i am sure deliberately inflicted. later, in the last few months of his life, jacob suffered about a0 rib fractures. lastly, at the end of december 2020, fractures. lastly, at the end of december2020, he fractures. lastly, at the end of december 2020, he received a blow that pierced his stomach and ruptured his bowel, causing him to die during the night of 29th, 30th of december 2020. you, mr crouch, struck the blows that fractured jacob's ribs, tore the line of his stomach and ruptured his bowel causing him to die. you, miss barton, noticed the bruises and did nothing to protect him from suffering those injuries. you may not have been aware of the rib fractures, but during the time they were infected, you either knew or should have known the risk to jacob from mr crouch and did nothing to protect him from it. i am sure that you, miss barton, on the night of the 29th, 30th of december 2020, were aware at the time of the assault or became aware shortly after it that jacob had been assaulted by mr crouch that evening or night. find assaulted by mr crouch that evening or niuht. �* ., ., assaulted by mr crouch that evening or niuht. �* . ., .,, assaulted by mr crouch that evening or niuht. �* . . ., assaulted by mr crouch that evening or niu ht. �* . . ., . , or night. and again, as we have been sa in: or night. and again, as we have been saying throughout — or night. and again, as we have been saying throughout this _ or night. and again, as we have been saying throughout this sentencing, i saying throughout this sentencing, we had cut away for legal reasons, but i think it is important to bring you some of the personal victim statements that were read outjust before this... we will head back to the court and i will tell you about that shortly. i the court and i will tell you about that shortly-— that shortly. i cannot be sure whether he — that shortly. i cannot be sure whether he died _ that shortly. i cannot be sure whether he died before - that shortly. i cannot be sure whether he died before or. that shortly. i cannot be sure l whether he died before or after that shortly. i cannot be sure - whether he died before or after 5am on the 30th of december when you miss barton, told police and later this jury he went to check on him and found him alive. i'm sure you knew once jacob had died that mr crouch was responsible for his death. the two of you each denied responsibility individually and you, miss barton, tried to protect mr crouch by concealing your knowledge of what he had done to jacob on the night he died. in the words of count two of the indictment, on which the jury two of the indictment, on which the jury has convicted you, miss barton, and i quote, you are aware or should have been aware that there was a significant risk of serious harm being caused to jacob crouch by the unlawful act of craig crouch and failed to take such steps as you should have reasonably been expected to have taken to should have reasonably been expected to have ta ken to protect should have reasonably been expected to have taken to protect jacob crouch from that risk and the act occurred in circumstances in the kind that he foresaw or ought to have foreseen, and quote. while i am not sure that until the nightjacob died you are aware of the significant risk of harm to jacob post by mr crouch or foresaw he would cause serious harm to jacob, there is no doubt you should have been aware of that risk and no doubt you should have foreseen circumstances such as mr crouch striking jacob and causing him serious harm and no doubt that he failed to protect jacob from that risk. —— that you failed to protect jacob. you, mr crouch, are guilty of murdering jacob. 0nly jacob. you, mr crouch, are guilty of murdering jacob. only one sentence is permitted by law for that crime, imprisoned for life. i have to determine the minimum term of imprisonment which you must serve before being eligible to apply to the parole board to be considered for release. to do so, i have to consider the seriousness of the offence to determine the minimum period you will serve before consideration can be given to you on release. a minimum term is not the same as an ordinary sentence of imprisonment where a defendant will normally serve half or two thirds of that sentence before being released on licence. a minimum term is a term that must be served before your case may be referred to the parole board for consideration of your release upon licence. it means that the actual length of time that you will spendin actual length of time that you will spend in prison before that process can take place. whether or not you are released after the minimum term expires will be for the parole board to consider at the end of that term. the parole board will not permit your release at that stage unless it is satisfied that you are not a risk to the public and are ready for release. if you are released at that time or any later time, you will be released on licence with specific conditions attached and may be recalled to continue serving your life sentence if you breach any licence conditions imposed upon you. watch then it should be the length of the minimum time? i consider the correct starting point is applying the provisions of the sentencing carried one of 15 years. however, there must be a substantial uplift in the circumstances of this case. i have to consider the aggravating features of this offence of murder, taking into account the commendation of that offence and the other offences associated with it. —— the complexions of that offence. he was a small baby who had not yet learned to walk or talk, sadly he never did so. he cannot defend himself. for that reason, your attacks on him were an abuse of trust of the greatest kind. you knew he was dependent on the adults caring for him to protect him from harm. instead of protecting him, you kill him. third, you failed to seek any medical help forjacob at any time before 7:15am on the 30th of december 2020, even when he was gravely injured, as you must have known he was. you ought miss barton sought such help, he would have needed morphine, but he would have lived and recovered from his injuries. fourth, you exploited the selfishness, weakness and gullibility of miss barton to influence her against protecting her son from you. used lies and bullying tactics on her to deflect any suspicions she might have had you were mistreating jacob. you sought to attributed his bruises and cuts to attributed his bruises and cuts to natural causes. you even falsely... to natural causes. you even falsely-"— to natural causes. you even falsely... to natural causes. you even falsel �* . . ., , falsely... and again, we are 'ust ste -|n~ falsely... and again, we are 'ust stepping away i falsely... and again, we are 'ust stepping away from i falsely... and again, we are just| stepping away from proceedings. let's give the court a moment. they have cut proceedings for legal reasons. let's give a moment to see whether we can go back to court. acute physical and mental suffering on the night he died. i do not at this stage include the suffering you caused him for that night since that is the subject to another offence to which i am coming. seventh, you joined with miss barton in giving a false account to be paramedics, police and medical staff at the hospital to conceal your guilt. you maintained these false stories of years, up to the trail, you sought additional protection for yourself, resuming your influence over miss barton, sending her a valentines card and inventing a character called robert, supposedly a solicitor, with the aim of exerting control over her legal services to reduce the risk of her telling the truth to what you had done to jacob that might. i consider that next the other associated offences. there are three, represented by count six, cruelty to jacob during his lifetime... cruelty to jacob during his lifetime. . ._ cruelty to jacob during his lifetime... �* ., ., , ., lifetime... and again, we 'ust have to ause lifetime... and again, we 'ust have to pause proceedings _ lifetime... and again, we just have to pause proceedings because - lifetime... and again, we just have to pause proceedings because of. to pause proceedings because of legal reasons. we willjust wait a few moments to see whether we can head straight back into court to listen to thejudge. head straight back into court to listen to the judge.— head straight back into court to listen to the judge. listen to the 'udge. associated with the murder. — listen to the judge. associated with the murder. the _ listen to the judge. associated with the murder. the maximum - listen to the judge. associated with l the murder. the maximum sentence listen to the judge. associated with - the murder. the maximum sentence for that offence was ten years when you committed it. it is heavily aggravated by the duration or degree of mental and physical suffering he caused to jacob. 0ver about seven months, you inflicted first bruising then fractured ribs on this little baby. then fractured ribs on this little bab . �* . then fractured ribs on this little bab . �* , ., ., ., then fractured ribs on this little bab . ~ , ., ., ., ., baby. and just again we are leaving proceedings — baby. and just again we are leaving proceedings because _ baby. and just again we are leaving proceedings because of _ baby. and just again we are leaving proceedings because of legal - baby. and just again we are leaving l proceedings because of legal reasons but we will bring that back as soon as we can. let's wait a moment and hopefully we can head back to the court. and we are hoping to take you back to the court as soon as we can. the camera is itjust have been suspended because we are told of legal reasons. but we will try and take you back as soon as possible and bring you the coverage of the sentencing of jacob's stepfather, craig crouch. so farfrom sentencing of jacob's stepfather, craig crouch. so far from the sentencing of jacob's stepfather, craig crouch. so farfrom thejudge we have heard that he has been going over the counts that both crouch and barton were convicted of this week and he says the pair both attempted to hide the truth about the night of jacob's killing in order to protect themselves. addressing barton, jacob's mother, thejudge said there is no doubt she failed to protect her son from his stepfather when she should have been aware of those risks. my colleagues in court have both been taking a look at jacob's mother and stepfather, jacob's mother and stepfather, jacob's mother has been in tears throughout this afternoon. jacob's stepfather, craig crouch, so far has shown no emotion. just some of the sentencing we can tell you so far, the judge has passed life imprisonment craig crouch with minimum of 15 years. however, he is taking on extra circumstances which include the age of jacob, circumstances which include the age ofjacob, just ten months old. circumstances which include the age of jacob, just ten months old. let's head back to the court.— head back to the court. from the startin: head back to the court. from the starting point — head back to the court. from the starting point of _ head back to the court. from the starting point of 15 _ head back to the court. from the starting point of 15 years - head back to the court. from the starting point of 15 years to - head back to the court. from the starting point of 15 years to one i head back to the court. from the| starting point of 15 years to one of 30 years. i must then consider any mitigating factors. it is profoundly distressing and depressing to say so, but you are in some ways an unlikely murderer. you have no previous convictions for any offences, whether of violence or otherwise. you have no history of drug or alcohol abuse. you did not have a chaotic lifestyle. fiend drug or alcohol abuse. you did not have a chaotic lifestyle. and again, we are just — have a chaotic lifestyle. and again, we are just leaving _ have a chaotic lifestyle. and again, we are just leaving the _ have a chaotic lifestyle. and again, we are just leaving the court - have a chaotic lifestyle. and again, we are just leaving the court for. we are just leaving the court for legal reasons. we will try and head back as soon as possible. we will just listening and hopefully we can head back very soon. hat head back very soon. not premeditated, _ head back very soon. not premeditated, that - head back very soon. ijrrt premeditated, that he did not intend to kill him and that you were distressed at his death, conscientious, a hard worker and you believed in discipline and order. you did try in a misguided and deluded way to build something you believed would be or at least resemble a stable family life, albeit one family grounded in your own overbearing dominance and control of those around you. these points afford limited mitigation. you have not shown any remorse for what he did. you have not explained what he did. you have not explained what you did or apologised to any of your many victims, direct or indirect. i reduce the minimum ten by two years to take account of the limited mitigated features i have identified, the minimum term you will serve at will therefore be one of 28 years. i turn to the concurrent sentences of six, seven and eight. 0n concurrent sentences of six, seven and eight. on account six, it is one of sustained cruelty to jacob over many months, causing first bruising and then rib fractures. although the maximum sentence has increased since the offence was committed, and the new higher maximum does not apply to your offence, the current guideline effective from the 1st of april 2023 applies with appropriate adjustment as i shall explain later. of its kind, the offences of the utmost seriousness, the suffering caused to jacob was intense and prolonged, the harm is category one and the culpability is at level a. the range in the current guideline is seven to 12 years based on a maximum of 1a years which does not work because the maximum sentence here is ten years. the notable aggravating feature is that the injuries to jacob were caused in close proximity... jacob were caused in close proximity- - -_ jacob were caused in close proximity... jacob were caused in close roximi �* ., ., ., , proximity... and again, we are 'ust cuttin: proximity... and again, we are 'ust cutting from — proximity... and again, we are 'ust cutting from the i proximity... and again, we are 'ust cutting from the courts * proximity... and again, we are 'ust cutting from the courts forfi proximity... and again, we are just cutting from the courts for legal. cutting from the courts for legal reasons. the court has... fine cutting from the courts for legal reasons. the court has... one of eitht reasons. the court has... one of eight years _ reasons. the court has... one of eight years to — reasons. the court has... one of eight years to run _ reasons. the court has... one of eight years to run concurrently i eight years to run concurrently based on a maximum of ten years. it is close to being a serious and offence of cruelty to the child as can be envisaged. you are also found guilty... and again, just to let you know that we are cutting away from the court for legal reasons, this of course a very complex case. with many people involved who cannot be mentioned, their identities have to be protected, but we will take you back as soon as we possibly can. let's just listen in and hopefully we can bring you back. and mrjustice kerr was handing down the prison sentence for craig crouch, jacob's stepfather, a minimum of 28 years. he began his sentencing with the remarks in the case of craig crouch and gemma barton, saying jacob was a happy, smiley, bubbly baby, he never complained about the horrific treatment he was receiving. and we heard that craig crouch would be receiving a minimum term of 28 years, but he is still taking... that completes the sentencing in your case, craig crouch. i turn to your case, craig crouch. i turn to your case, craig crouch. i turn to your case, miss barton. you have been convicted by the jury of two crimes, causing or allowing jacob to... and as we have been seeing throughout the sentencing, we do have to leave court for legal reasons. we will take you back as soon as possibly can.— reasons. we will take you back as soon as possibly can. some are dated in earlyjune — soon as possibly can. some are dated in earlyjune at _ soon as possibly can. some are dated in early june at the _ soon as possibly can. some are dated in early june at the start _ soon as possibly can. some are dated in early june at the start of _ soon as possibly can. some are dated in early june at the start of the - in earlyjune at the start of the trial. these are to the effect that you are widely considered to be a loving, caring, thoughtful and reliable person. i do not doubt you are all those things at some times and in some circumstances, but you did not act in that way any matters leading to your conviction for these two fences. i have also considered and taken into account the psychiatric reports about you. i repeat my thanks to the three psychiatrists for producing those reports at short notice during the trial. they were prepared for the purpose of helping me consider and decide what course at the trial would take. except they also address quite briefly your history, including a history of social anxiety, disorderand including a history of social anxiety, disorder and depression, the prescribing of antidepressants in 2021. that psychiatric evidence does not itself provide strong support for you having a significantly impaired mental function which substantially diminishes your culpability, by which i mean the level of blame that attaches to you for these crimes. at the most, your history of mental disorder may have made you more easily susceptible to coercion, amounting to psychological violence in a domestic context but i would accept that anyway. mr croucher did exert such influence and manipulate you any manner accounting lowe amounting to what is called coercive behaviour. of that there is ample examples that was read to the jury in the trial. i accept that your time in custody has been more difficult than it would have otherwise been because you have been treated for breast cancer whilst in custody. i take all these matters into account. 0n count two, causing or allowing jacob to die, there is a new guideline as i have said effective from the 1st of april 2023. it applies in this case, but subject to adjustment because the maximum sentence increased to life imprisonment for offences committed after the 28th ofjune 2022, 1a years in your case because the offence was committed before that date in 2020. it is permissible to look at the older guidelines are dating from january 2019, but contrary to the submission made in your defence, it is not appropriate or lawful to ignore completely the more recent guideline. the same is the case when we come to counts... and we are listening to the sentencing of craig crouch and gemma barton. in sentencing of craig crouch and gemma barton. .,, , ., , sentencing of craig crouch and gemma barton. , ., , , barton. in the most serious cases, includint barton. in the most serious cases, including some _ barton. in the most serious cases, including some that _ barton. in the most serious cases, including some that may _ barton. in the most serious cases, including some that may attract i including some that may attract sentence above what he is to be the maximum. the degree of blame is in these cases categorised as very high. at the top of the scale which before that consisted of high, medium and lesser culpability, the definitions and degrees of harm are the same. the sentencing range in starting points are unchanged per cases of high, medium and lesser culpability. the crown accepts a downward adjustment must be made to the ranges in starting points to take account of the lower maximum sentences applicable to the time these two offences were committed. i return it to my findings. i am sure that you, miss barton, became aware during the evening or night of 29th, 30th of december 2020, that jacob had been seriously assaulted by mr croucher, seriously enough that any reasonable parent would call for immediate or urgent medical attention. i am immediate or urgent medical attention. iam not immediate or urgent medical attention. i am not sure that you perceived him to be in danger of serious injury at any time before that. i am sure that you must have been aware that at least some of the bruising went beyond accidental knocks and scrapes. you were jacob's main carer. i am not sure you are aware atany main carer. i am not sure you are aware at any time before his death that his ribs had been fractured. the medical evidence included acknowledgement rib fractures are not toys perceived by onlookers... —— are not always perceived by onlookers. -- are not always perceived by onlookers— -- are not always perceived by onlookers. �* .. , , .,, ., , -- are not always perceived by onlookers. , , ., ., onlookers. accept this was a case of ou onlookers. accept this was a case of you allowing — onlookers. accept this was a case of you allowing jacob _ onlookers. accept this was a case of you allowing jacob to _ onlookers. accept this was a case of you allowing jacob to die, _ onlookers. accept this was a case of you allowing jacob to die, not - onlookers. accept this was a case of you allowing jacob to die, not a - you allowing jacob to die, not a case of you causing jacob to die, which would be more serious. aside from the night he died, i accept that the case is one way you ought to have been aware of the risk to him of serious harm rather than a case where you were actually aware of that risk. at least i cannot be sure you were. 0n the night he died, he did become actually aware of the risk to him of serious physical harm and aware that mr crouch had seriously assaulted him. —— you did become aware. the hamas category one because the victim has died. —— the harm is category one. there were prolonged incidents of serious cruelty. the evidence was there to see but you chose not to face up to it. there was deliberate disregard for his welfare. it was also pointed out ljy his welfare. it was also pointed out by the crown that you failed to take any steps to protect the victim from offences in which those features were present. failing to protect the victim is similar to deliberate disregard. and moreover is part of the definition of the offence. there is one significant feature pointing to a lesser culpability. you are, as i accept a victim of domestic abuse