A man has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 28 years for murdering his 10-month-old stepson, who sustained dozens of rib fractures in at least five separate assaults before his death.
Craig Crouch, 39, was convicted on Wednesday of murder and three counts of child cruelty towards Jacob Crouch, who was found dead in his cot on 30 December 2020 in Linton, Derbyshire.
During a seven-week trial, Derby crown court heard how Jacob died from an infection caused by a perforated bowel from blunt force trauma as a result of an action such as a punch, kick or stamp by Crouch, who had been regularly assaulting the child for months.
Medical examinations found that he also had 39 rib fractures, 19 visible bruises and internal injuries.
Barton was four months pregnant with Jacob when she met Crouch on a dating app and the pair soon began referring to the baby as “our little boy” as their relationship developed. Crouch was named as the boy’s father on his birth certificate.
In a statement read to the court, Jacob’s biological father, Andrew Smith, said: “I never got to meet him. All I have is a photo to remember him by.
“I will never be able to hug him and celebrate his achievements. I will never be able to buy him his first pint when he turns 18. You have taken Jacob and all the memories we would have shared.
“The pain will be with me for a lifetime. It will never go away. My boy has some justice now, but it will never be enough for his suffering.”
Malcolm Barton, Jacob’s maternal grandfather, said the family knew that Crouch was a liar but “he did not come over to me as a violent person”.
He said: “We did not like Craig at all. Gemma told us that she was going to give Jacob the surname Crouch when he was born, which we thought was inappropriate. He was such a happy little lad. He was sitting on the floor and crawling about, and I remember he was playing with his great-grandad’s walking stick.”
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