A MAN who murdered his partner’s one-year-old daughter during a deliberate and violent assault has been jailed for life.
Ryan Coleman, 23, failed to call emergences services, claimed the tot had fallen off her bed and then tried to blame the child’s innocent mother.
However he was found guilty on Friday at Birmingham Crown Court of murdering baby Evelyn.
'Car crash' like injuries
During the trial, jurors heard how Evelyn had been subjected to a deliberate and violent assault at the hands of Coleman.
She had multiple bruising and bleeding injuries on her brain and spine, as well as 31 external injuries, including damage to both eyes.
The injuries were described as being comparable to a car crash and were among the worst ever seen by a medical expert.
Coleman, of no fixed abode, failed to call 999 to get Evelyn help following the assault at a property in Regent Street, Kettering, England on April 26, 2018.
Coleman must serve a minimum of 17 years (Image: Northamptonshire Police)Instead it was Evelyn’s mother, called home from work by Coleman, who called emergency services.
The baby was found unresponsive and taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham but died three days later.
Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Coleman continued to claim that Evelyn had become unresponsive due to falling off a 36cm-high toddler bed.
He then blamed Evelyn’s mother by claiming that she had caused the injuries when trying to resuscitate the baby.
Baby Evelyn's injuries were comparable to a car crash Ryan Coleman was found guilty of murdering his partner's one-year-old daughter Evelyn (Image: Northamptonshire Police)The jury of seven men and five women returned their unanimous verdict in just over four hours.
Coleman, who stormed out of court several times during the trial and refused to appear for sentencing, must serve a minimum of 17 years.
Mrs Justice Sara Cockerill DBE said Coleman ‘showed no remorse for anyone but himself’ after a ‘serious and violent assault on a defenceless baby’.
‘Catastrophic injuries’
“Not only did Ryan Coleman murder a one-year-old girl, inflicting catastrophic injuries on her, he also put her mother and family through the trauma of a trial,” said Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Stuart Hitchon.
"Losing a child is the worst pain imaginable and Ryan Coleman made Evelyn’s mother relive it again and again at court.”
Evelyn’s mum said every day remains a struggle.
“I have lost my whole life – my child, my baby, my normality,” she said.
“My life will never be the same again. Every day is a struggle and my grief overwhelms me – some days I cannot cope knowing that she is not here with us as she should be.”
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