Detention for mother whose boyfriend killed baby

A teenage mother who did nothing to stop her boyfriend killing their four-month-old baby was given a year's detention today.

Kady Lorryman, 19, let her violent 18-year-old partner Jonathan Weekes inflict fatal head injuries on Kiarra Weekes-Lorryman.

Burly Weekes - who was just 16 when Kiarra died - had a history of violence and physically intimidated his older but immature partner.

He tried to blame one of his friends and even his partner Lorryman for Kiarra's injuries, claiming that he loved his daughter and would never hurt her.

However, he admitted manslaughter and was given a two-and-a-half-year sentence at a young offenders' institution.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Kiarra had suffered three separate attacks, which had caused fractures to her ribs and collar bone, in the weeks leading up to her death.

Prosecutor Nicholas Campbell QC told the court: "These type of injuries are caused when a child is forcibly held and squeezed, and she may well have been shaken."

Kiarra had been seen by health workers and doctors on 10 separate occasions following her birth in November 2007 but nobody spotted any injuries and she appeared fit and well.

Paramedics were called to the couple's flat in Leeds on March 5 last year, having been alerted by Lorryman, where Kiarra was found to be unconscious.

She was rushed to St James' Hospital, but she never regained consciousness and died the following day after her life support machine was switched off.

Mr Campbell QC said: "No-one suggests that these fatal injuries could have occurred during the normal handling of a healthy baby.

"The fourth and fatal injury was caused by violent shaking, her head impacting upon a solid surface, and this assault had taken place within a few hours of her admission to St James' Hospital.

"It would have been clear to any carer that she was unwell whether they were the cause of the injuries or not."

On hearing that doctors suspected Kiarra had been assaulted, Weekes replied: "That's sick innit? No parent would do that."

He added: "I f****** loved her. She's the closest thing to my heart."