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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Twin swap parents jailed for cruelty | Twin swap parents jailed for cruelty |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A couple said to have swapped the identity of their dead baby to her twin sister in a bid to cover up injuries they inflicted have been jailed. | A couple said to have swapped the identity of their dead baby to her twin sister in a bid to cover up injuries they inflicted have been jailed. |
| Mohammed and Nafisa Karolia, of Meadow Close, Blackburn, denied abusing the seven-month-old, who died in June 2009. | Mohammed and Nafisa Karolia, of Meadow Close, Blackburn, denied abusing the seven-month-old, who died in June 2009. |
| She was taken to hospital after they reported she had breathing problems and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. | She was taken to hospital after they reported she had breathing problems and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. |
| Mr Karolia, 29, and his wife, 22, were sentenced to five years for child cruelty at Preston Crown Court. | Mr Karolia, 29, and his wife, 22, were sentenced to five years for child cruelty at Preston Crown Court. |
| The court was told the couple made a deliberate attempt to hide the ailing twin from the outside world in the weeks leading up to her death. | The court was told the couple made a deliberate attempt to hide the ailing twin from the outside world in the weeks leading up to her death. |
| The twin sisters were referred to in court as Twin M and Twin A with the jury told that, for some reason, their parents rejected and abused Twin M who was the bigger of the two. | The twin sisters were referred to in court as Twin M and Twin A with the jury told that, for some reason, their parents rejected and abused Twin M who was the bigger of the two. |
| The court heard the couple tricked a number of visiting health professionals into thinking they were seeing Twin M by showing them her sister. | The court heard the couple tricked a number of visiting health professionals into thinking they were seeing Twin M by showing them her sister. |
| Prosecutor Joe Boyd said Twin M had suffered numerous injuries, including fractures to the ribs, legs and arms and skull damage affecting the brain and central nervous system. | Prosecutor Joe Boyd said Twin M had suffered numerous injuries, including fractures to the ribs, legs and arms and skull damage affecting the brain and central nervous system. |
| The broken bones were said to have taken place between 24 hours and six weeks before her death, however, the post-mortem examination found she died of bronchopneumonia. | The broken bones were said to have taken place between 24 hours and six weeks before her death, however, the post-mortem examination found she died of bronchopneumonia. |
| Mr Justice Irwin said: "The surviving twin has never suffered any injury or neglect and she appeared to have been very well cared for. | Mr Justice Irwin said: "The surviving twin has never suffered any injury or neglect and she appeared to have been very well cared for. |
| "What emerges from the evidence is repeated cruelty to one child." | "What emerges from the evidence is repeated cruelty to one child." |
| Among the girl's injuries there was also damage to her nose which suggested it had been pinched by a clasp or clip. | Among the girl's injuries there was also damage to her nose which suggested it had been pinched by a clasp or clip. |
| The judge said those injuries were particularly "unpleasant" and "upsetting" and would have been "extremely painful". | The judge said those injuries were particularly "unpleasant" and "upsetting" and would have been "extremely painful". |
| 'Conceal injuries' | |
| Mr Boyd said the Crown did not aim to prove that any maltreatment by the parents caused the baby's death, but said they had never provided a plausible explanation for the injuries. | Mr Boyd said the Crown did not aim to prove that any maltreatment by the parents caused the baby's death, but said they had never provided a plausible explanation for the injuries. |
| Explaining the alleged twin swap during the trial, he said: "The living twin's progress is consistent with that of Girl A, while the dead twin's progress corresponds to Girl M. | Explaining the alleged twin swap during the trial, he said: "The living twin's progress is consistent with that of Girl A, while the dead twin's progress corresponds to Girl M. |
| "Growth charts for both twins make it clear that the parents have at some stage swapped the babies. | "Growth charts for both twins make it clear that the parents have at some stage swapped the babies. |
| "They have very probably done so to seek to conceal the mounting injuries being suffered by the child who died - always the bigger twin but, for some reason, rejected and abused by them." | "They have very probably done so to seek to conceal the mounting injuries being suffered by the child who died - always the bigger twin but, for some reason, rejected and abused by them." |
| Det Insp Pete Broome, from Lancashire Police, said it was "up there with the very worst" case he had dealt with. | |
| "I don't think any period of imprisonment would adequately sum up the gravity of this case," he said. | |
| "They had come up with an elaborate plan. Quite why they did what they did only those two will ever know." |