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Lesley Dunford found guilty of daughter's manslaughter | Lesley Dunford found guilty of daughter's manslaughter |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison for the manslaughter of her three-year-old daughter at their home in East Sussex. | |
Lesley Dunford, 33, now of Windermere Close in Exeter, Devon, had denied smothering her daughter Lucy at their former home in Camber. | Lesley Dunford, 33, now of Windermere Close in Exeter, Devon, had denied smothering her daughter Lucy at their former home in Camber. |
Lucy died on 2 February 2004 at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings. | Lucy died on 2 February 2004 at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings. |
Lewes Crown Court heard the toddler's injuries suggested "she was held face down into a surface like a pillow". | |
Airways forcibly blocked | |
Dunford was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter. | |
Judge Richard Brown had given the jury members the option of returning a verdict of manslaughter if they believed Dunford had killed her daughter but it could not be proved that she had intended to cause Lucy harm. | |
During the trial, the court heard that six months earlier Dunford's son Harley had died in his cot at the age of seven months. | |
The jury was told that Dunford had epilepsy, but had not been diagnosed with any psychiatric or autistic problems. | |
Three post-mortem examinations showed Lucy died from asphyxia caused by the forced blockage of her airways. | Three post-mortem examinations showed Lucy died from asphyxia caused by the forced blockage of her airways. |
Judge Brown said Dunford went from "carer to killer" when she smothered Lucy. | |
'Justice for Lucy' | |
Dunford had told the court Lucy died on the same day her husband, Wayne, 54, returned to work after 19 months of unemployment. | |
She said she had been nervous about being left at home to look after Lucy alone but denied being depressed about it. | She said she had been nervous about being left at home to look after Lucy alone but denied being depressed about it. |
The toddler was found with bruising under her skin around her shoulders and neck. | |
She also had a cut above her left eyebrow, which could have been caused by hitting a hard surface such as a bed headboard, the jury was told. | |
Det Ch Insp Nick Sloan from Sussex Police said: "This was tragic case for everybody. | |
"There was a thorough police investigation at the time but the forensic evidence then did not support a prosecution. | |
"However my team has carried out a very thorough analysis of all the evidence and we are very glad to see that justice has now been done for Lucy." | |
Simon Ringrose, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said the death of Harley had been fully investigated by police at the time and there were no plans to re-open the case. |
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