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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Benjamin Roach sentenced to seven years for baby death | Benjamin Roach sentenced to seven years for baby death |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who killed his four-week-old daughter by shaking her violently has been jailed for seven years. | A man who killed his four-week-old daughter by shaking her violently has been jailed for seven years. |
| Benjamin Roach, 24, from Plymouth, had denied the manslaughter of Roxie-Jo Hopkins-Roach, who died in September 2010, but was convicted unanimously. | Benjamin Roach, 24, from Plymouth, had denied the manslaughter of Roxie-Jo Hopkins-Roach, who died in September 2010, but was convicted unanimously. |
| One of her injuries was similar to what might be seen as a result of a road crash, Plymouth Crown Court was told. | One of her injuries was similar to what might be seen as a result of a road crash, Plymouth Crown Court was told. |
| Doctors told the trial injuries suffered by Roxie could not have been caused accidently. | Doctors told the trial injuries suffered by Roxie could not have been caused accidently. |
| Jurors heard Roach, of Tailyour Road, may have shaken the baby before throwing her down hard on to a sofa or bed, and the baby would have been blind if she had survived. | Jurors heard Roach, of Tailyour Road, may have shaken the baby before throwing her down hard on to a sofa or bed, and the baby would have been blind if she had survived. |
| 'Utterly unforgiveable' | 'Utterly unforgiveable' |
| The court heard it happened the first time Roach was left alone with Roxie-Jo. | |
| Judge Graham Cottle said: "You simply lost your temper and self control and committed a serious and unlawful act on a helpless baby." | Judge Graham Cottle said: "You simply lost your temper and self control and committed a serious and unlawful act on a helpless baby." |
| Police were called to the house in Plymstock Roach shared with Roxie-Jo's mother, Kelly Hopkins, on 23 September 2010. | Police were called to the house in Plymstock Roach shared with Roxie-Jo's mother, Kelly Hopkins, on 23 September 2010. |
| Roach told police Roxie was "screaming" and "crying heavily" after he was left alone with her. | Roach told police Roxie was "screaming" and "crying heavily" after he was left alone with her. |
| He said he picked her up to calm her down but she suddenly became "floppy". | He said he picked her up to calm her down but she suddenly became "floppy". |
| However Roach later changed his story and said he had dropped her 4ft (1.2m) on to a carpeted floor. | However Roach later changed his story and said he had dropped her 4ft (1.2m) on to a carpeted floor. |
| Roxie-Jo was taken to a high-dependency unit where she died the day after, police said. | Roxie-Jo was taken to a high-dependency unit where she died the day after, police said. |
| Judge Cottle said: "Nearly three years have now gone by and you have continued to deny Kelly and others some closure. | |
| "You have been concerned only for preserving your own skin. Your response has been utterly unforgiveable." | |
| He said Roach had "persistently evaded the truth" and had "evaded responsibility for what happened from the outset". | He said Roach had "persistently evaded the truth" and had "evaded responsibility for what happened from the outset". |
| After the verdict, Ms Hopkins said her daughter "can now rest in peace and justice has been served". | After the verdict, Ms Hopkins said her daughter "can now rest in peace and justice has been served". |
| "I've got the verdict that I want... I've got justice for my daughter which is what I've been fighting for for the past two-and-a-half years," she added. |