A father has been found guilty of murdering his baby daughter after he told a court he could not remember what happened the night she suffered severe injuries. Thomas Holford admitted the manslaughter of Everleigh Stroud, after the five-week-old babysuffered "violent shaking"when she spent the night alone with him in the bedroom he shared with her teenage mother in Ramsgate. The court previously heard how Holford, of Ramsgate,claimed he had no memory of the incident, and he had smoked multiple cannabis joints on the evening he attacked his daughter. The jury at Canterbury Crown Court found him guilty of murder and causing actual bodily harm on Thursday. Everleigh died when her life support machine was turned off a year after the attack in April 2021 which left her with severe injuries to her brain, ribs and legs. During the trial, defence barrister Jo Martin KC told Canterbury Crown Court that Holford showed no planning, premeditation or motive before killing his daughter. She said: "This cack-handed, cannabis-fuelled young man would try everything he would normally do to work out why she was crying and then he would move on to stopping that crying." But prosecution barrister Eloise Marshall KC told the court that Holford "would have known he would have caused that child really serious harm" by shaking her with "extreme force". "He is causing her ribs to break. Even that act on its own is enough to show that he intended really serious harm." Follow BBC Kent onFacebook, onX, and onInstagram. Send your story ideas tosoutheasttoday@bbc.co.ukor WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
Father who killed baby daughter guilty of murder
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"Father Convicted of Murdering Infant Daughter in Ramsgate"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Thomas Holford has been convicted of murdering his five-week-old daughter, Everleigh Stroud, after a harrowing incident that occurred in April 2021. Holford, who was alone with the infant in the bedroom he shared with her teenage mother in Ramsgate, claimed he could not remember the events of that night. During the trial, it was revealed that he had consumed multiple cannabis joints prior to the attack. The jury at Canterbury Crown Court found him guilty of murder and causing actual bodily harm, despite his defense arguing that there was no planning or premeditation involved in the tragic incident. His defense attorney, Jo Martin KC, characterized Holford as a young man overwhelmed by the situation, attempting to soothe his crying child without any intent to harm her. However, the prosecution presented a contrasting narrative, asserting that Holford's actions were deliberate and resulted in severe injuries to Everleigh, including damage to her brain, ribs, and legs.
Following the attack, Everleigh was left in a critical condition and ultimately died a year later when her life support was discontinued. Prosecutor Eloise Marshall KC emphasized that Holford would have been aware that shaking his daughter with extreme force could result in serious harm, pointing to the severity of the injuries as evidence of his intent. The case has drawn significant attention and raises critical questions about the responsibilities of caregivers and the tragic consequences of violence against vulnerable individuals. As the legal proceedings concluded with the guilty verdict, the court highlighted the tragic loss of a young life and the impact of Holford's actions on Everleigh's family and community.
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