Mother and ex-boyfriend jailed for 10 years after baby son died from ‘horrific’ head injury

A mother and her ex-boyfriend have been today jailed for 10 years over the ‘brutal’ death of her 24-day-old baby who suffered a fractured skull and brain haemorrhage. 

Roxanne Davis, 30, and her 24-year-old former boyfriend Samuel Davis were each jailed for ten years for causing the death of her son Stanley Davis.  

Stanley died in hospital on March 28, 2017 after suffering ‘horrific injuries’. 

He had also been admitted to Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital for 32 rib fractures and nine more to his arms and legs on three other occasions. 

Davis and Davies, who both smoked cannabis and took cocaine, tried to cover up his injuries, which could have been caused by shaking him or throwing across the room.

Sentencing the pair, the judge said that the baby ‘was in pain for much of his short life’ and suffered a ‘brutal’ attack in which he was violently shaken. 

The judge said Davis was more upset about herself than her son, who she ‘treated as little more than a fashion accessory.’ 

Samuel Davis

Roxanne Davis, 30, and her 24-year-old former boyfriend Samuel Davis were each jailed for ten years

Baby Stanley (pictured) suffered a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage before his death

Baby Stanley (pictured) suffered a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage before his death

Roxanne Davis, 30, is pictured here on police body cam footage when officers were called to her flat two weeks before the infant's death

Roxanne Davis, 30, is pictured here on police body cam footage when officers were called to her flat two weeks before the infant’s death

Her ex-boyfriend Samuel Davies, 24 (pictured) was also convicted

He is pictured answering the door of their flat when officers attended on March 11 last year, just over two weeks before Stanley died in hospital on March 28 2017

Her ex-boyfriend Samuel Davies, 24 (pictured) has also been jailed. He is pictured answering the door of their flat when officers attended on March 11 last year, just over two weeks before Stanley died in hospital on March 28 2017

‘Your upset is mainly for yourself in my view, not for Stanley’: Judge’s damning words for mother 

Sentencing the pair at Winchester Crown Court, Jane Miller QC said: ‘This was irresponsible in the extreme by both of you.

‘Roxanne you used Samuel to get out of doing the dirty nappy jobs and getting up in the middle of the night to do feeds.

‘You were happy to show him off to family and friends but when he was not being used as a fashion accessory, you were happy to hand him off to your partner.

‘Both of you had quick tempers and were regularly violent with each other.

‘Stanley would have spent most of his short life in pain. 

‘The injuries were probably caused in part by being shaken and he could have been thrown across the room before his death.

‘Either one or both of you injured him using extreme force. I am unable to be sure whether it was one or both of you.

‘It is likely it was one, but both of you could and should have stood up to the other and removed him from the situation.

‘Roxanne much of your upset is self serving crocodile tears. You upset is mainly for yourself in my view, not for Stanley.’ 

Police officers were called to the couple’s flat just 17 days before Stanley died – when he was only one-week old – after neighbours reported them shouting. 

A court heard today a bruise behind Stanley’s right ear was misdiagnosed as a birth mark by a paediatrician, when it was in fact the first sign of serious injury. 

When it began to fade just days after it was spotted, it was looked at again by midwives who realised it was in fact a bruise. 

Despite lengthy investigations, police have never been able to establish which of the pair inflicted the fatal injuries.

But when they were convicted, Davis turned to her ‘volatile’ former partner in the dock and told him: ‘You murdered my baby.’ 

Sentencing the pair at Winchester Crown Court, Jane Miller QC said Davis continued to smoke cannabis and had cocaine on at least three occasions. 

She said Davies also took cannabis and cocaine, ‘sometimes clearly a lot.’ 

Davis sobbed during the hearing and as she was taken down to the cells, she shouted out: ‘He’s a murderer.’  

The court heard that the former couple, who are not married, had a fractious relationship, with the police being called to the property on March 11 by neighbours who reported shouting coming from the one-bedroom flat they shared in Gosport.

Both defendants were tested positive for taking cocaine and cannabis after they were arrested following Stanley’s hospitalisation. 

Davies told his and his ex-partner’s trial that Stanley was looked after by him, his mother and her family, and added: ‘That baby from day two was passed around like a parcel.’

Baby Stanley (pictured) suffered a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage before his death

Baby Stanley (pictured) suffered a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage before his death

Prosecutors added that on March 15, Davies had taken a photo of a newspaper article about a mother who had taken her dead baby on to a bus to avoid detection over the child’s death from a head injury.

The court also heard how she had posted a video on Facebook on March 20 – the day before Stanley was taken to hospital – of him having a fit, along with the comment: ‘My baby is 16 days should he be doing this already.’ 

Stanley died a week later.

Giving evidence, Davis told the court that when her son was born she was ‘over the moon’, adding: ‘I had my whole world in my hands.’

After Stanley’s death a crowdfunding page was set up to raise money for his funeral, which accumulated £2,300 in total.

His mother had written on the page that her son had been her ‘miracle baby’ after being told she would not be able to have children when she was younger.

Pair filmed confronting police days before baby’s death

Police officers were called to the couple's flat just 17 days before Stanley died - when he was only one-week old - after neighbours reported them shouting

Police officers were called to the couple’s flat just 17 days before Stanley died – when he was only one-week old – after neighbours reported them shouting

Police officers were called to the couple’s flat just 17 days before Stanley died – when he was only one-week old – after neighbours reported them shouting.

But Davies, who was not the baby’s father, claimed he had been arguing with a friend over some borrowed money.

Davis told officers the same thing, explaining he had mental health problems, was not allowed to work and ‘just kicked off like that’.

She also said he had been smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol, which both defendants tested positive for after Stanley died.

Officers demanded to see inside the flat when they visited the pair on March 11 but both defendants insisted there had just been an argument with one of Davies’s friends over some borrowed money.

Davies answered the door and Davis was then seen holding a tiny baby Stanley in her arms.

Officers demanded to see inside the flat when they visited the pair on March 11

Officers demanded to see inside the flat when they visited the pair on March 11

She told the police officer, who was recording the exchange on his body camera, that her boyfriend suffers with mental health problems.

Davies meanwhile storms out of the flat and says ‘I don’t want police at my door’ and complains they ‘don’t have a warrant’.

She says: ‘He’s normal but he just kicks off like that. It gets to him not being allowed to work.’

The officer asks her: ‘We can see that he’s been taking cannabis or something like that this evening?’

Davis replies: ‘He does smoke cannabis, yeah. He’s been drinking, He’s been out with his mates.’

She tells them: ‘I’ve got a baby now as well,’ to which the officer replies: ‘I know, congratulations. Because you were heavily pregnant last time I met you,’ – confirming he had visited the couple before.

Davies told jurors his girlfriend had been ‘jealous’ she was not the centre of attention after her son’s birth.

Davis wept as prosecutor James Newton-Price QC told the court there was a ‘disregard for the welfare’ of her son and a series of ‘escalating’ injuries.

He said: ‘This is a high culpability case. It features multiple incidents of injuries, using force and disregard for the welfare of the victim.

‘The suffering was prolonged and there was escalating injuries, with bones broken and re-broken.

‘The Crown would say they were warned very clearly warned about the risk of harm to Stanley by the police and a social worker.

‘They were warned they could not behave in an aggressive or argumentative way.’ 

The infant died a week after he was admitted to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth (pictured) in a 'serious condition'

The infant died a week after he was admitted to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth (pictured) in a ‘serious condition’

Katie Thorne QC, defending Davis, said that she suffered from depression and added: ‘Miss Davis’ case has always been that she didn’t cause the injuries. Miss Davis did accept her strong feelings of guilt in failing to protect Stanley.’

Sally Howes QC, defending Davies, who was not the biological father, said he had ‘a great sadness and a great feeling of guilt’.

She added: ‘He is clearly a very immature man and his diagnoses of ADHD and emotionally unstable personality disorder are recent and will have to be addressed at a later stage.’

Derek Benson, chairman of the Hampshire Safeguarding Children Board, has confirmed that a review is being carried out of the handling of the child’s care by the authorities. 

An NSPCC spokesperson said: ‘Davis and Davies should have loved, cared and protected baby Stanley. Instead, they caused the death of this defenceless baby and it is right that they are now behind bars as a consequence of their actions.’

A timeline of the Stanley Davis case 

Both Roxanne Davis and Samuel Davies have been remanded in custody and await sentencing on December 7. 

4 March 2017: Stanley Davis was born

11 March 2017: police were called to an argument at the flat of Roxanne Davis and Samuel Davies

15 March 2017: Davies had taken a photo of an article in The Sun newspaper about a mother who had taken her dead baby on to a bus to avoid detection over the child’s death from a head injury

16 March 2017: Davies said a large bruise was found behind Stanley’s right ear

20 March 2017: Davies had phoned a doctor, saying: ‘I have serious mental health problems and I have been using a lot of cocaine to deal with it.’

20 March 2017: Davis posts a video on Facebook on March 20 – the day before Stanley was taken to hospital – of him having a fit, along with the comment: ‘My baby is 16 days should he be doing this already.

21 March 2017: both Roxanne Davis and Samuel Davies tested positive for drugs

28 March 2017: Stanley dies of a skull fracture and brain haemorrhage 

23 October 2018: trial of Roxanne Davis and Samuel Davies begins at Winchester Crown Court 

28 November 2018: Roxanne Davis and Samuel Davies are convicted of causing or allowing the death of her baby Stanley at Winchester Crown Court

7 December 2018:  Roxanne Davis and Samuel Davies are jailed for ten years at Winchester Crown Court

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