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| Kevin Eves guilty of murdering 8-week-old daughter | Kevin Eves guilty of murdering 8-week-old daughter |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A dad with a history of violence has been found guilty of murdering his eight-week-old daughter. | A dad with a history of violence has been found guilty of murdering his eight-week-old daughter. |
| Kevin Eves smothered Harper Denton and left her with 34 rib fractures and a fractured skull in June 2018, the Old Bailey heard. | Kevin Eves smothered Harper Denton and left her with 34 rib fractures and a fractured skull in June 2018, the Old Bailey heard. |
| The 37-year-old was jailed for nine years in 2006 for causing grievous bodily harm with intent and wilfully assaulting a toddler. | The 37-year-old was jailed for nine years in 2006 for causing grievous bodily harm with intent and wilfully assaulting a toddler. |
| Eves, from Wixams, near Bedford, will be sentenced on Wednesday. | Eves, from Wixams, near Bedford, will be sentenced on Wednesday. |
| Mr Eves told the court he awoke to find Harper was purple and cold to the touch, claiming her injuries were caused by his attempts to resuscitate her. | Mr Eves told the court he awoke to find Harper was purple and cold to the touch, claiming her injuries were caused by his attempts to resuscitate her. |
| However, jurors heard the fractures were inflicted during at least three separate assaults in the weeks before Harper's death. | However, jurors heard the fractures were inflicted during at least three separate assaults in the weeks before Harper's death. |
| Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said Harper's injuries "tell the tale of a totally dependent, vulnerable, helpless baby girl who was subjected to a catalogue of escalating violence which only came to an end with her untimely death". | Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said Harper's injuries "tell the tale of a totally dependent, vulnerable, helpless baby girl who was subjected to a catalogue of escalating violence which only came to an end with her untimely death". |
| Dented wall | Dented wall |
| Twelve years earlier, Eves - then known as Forbes - seriously injured a child in his care. | Twelve years earlier, Eves - then known as Forbes - seriously injured a child in his care. |
| The boy suffered life-threatening head injuries and fractures to his elbow. | The boy suffered life-threatening head injuries and fractures to his elbow. |
| Eves claimed the child had fallen from a washing machine but a court heard his injuries were consistent with him being "swung forcefully by the arms" so his head hit the floor or a wall. | Eves claimed the child had fallen from a washing machine but a court heard his injuries were consistent with him being "swung forcefully by the arms" so his head hit the floor or a wall. |
| A dent was found in a wall of the property, with two strands of the child's hair embedded in it. | A dent was found in a wall of the property, with two strands of the child's hair embedded in it. |
| Ms Howes said the assault was "so similar" to the incident which killed Harper. | Ms Howes said the assault was "so similar" to the incident which killed Harper. |
| "It demonstrates a clear and definite propensity to commit life-threatening and fatal assaults upon very young children when left in his sole charge," she said. | "It demonstrates a clear and definite propensity to commit life-threatening and fatal assaults upon very young children when left in his sole charge," she said. |
| 'Shocking injuries' | |
| Peter Burt, from the CPS, said the extent of Harper's injuries was "shocking". | |
| "Baby Harper's life was cruelly cut short by someone she was totally dependent on," he said. | |
| "It's deeply upsetting to know the distress and pain she would have experienced each time her father inflicted these injuries on her." | |
| The prosecution said Harper's mother, Cherinea Denton, was aware Eves had a previous conviction from 2006 but believed his account that it was for his part at a house party. | |
| Eves, of Nightingale Court, said he told Ms Denton he was jailed for injuring a child and she "wasn't fazed". |