Mother attacked baby with 'severe force', UK court hears
A young mother was behind bars today for an “horrific” campaign of cruelty against her helpless two-month-old son, who died hours after the last attack.
Former crack addict Claire Biggs (aged 27) who already had one “at risk” child taken into care, repeatedly crushed baby Rhys' chest causing numerous rib fractures.
His right wrist and shoulder were also broken.
Medical experts said “severe” force must have been used each time.
They told Inner London Crown Court the injuries would have been “extremely painful”.
Even Biggs admitted her helpless son – whose blood-stained clothes were found throughout her one-bedroom flat – spent eight hours screaming in agony on one occasion.
Her live-in lover, Paul Husband (aged 33) did anything to stop her or help the baby.
Because the cause of Rhys’s death could not be established, the defendants ended up being charged with child cruelty.
During his short life, Rhys briefly came under the care of two London boroughs, first Newham and then Camden.
But despite the efforts of health workers to check on him, Biggs repeatedly failed to keep pre-arranged appointments.
In evidence, Biggs insisted her boyfriend was responsible and branded him a “murderer”.
He told the 10 men and two women trying him he had nothing to do with the child’s suffering.
But after considering the evidence for just three hours, jurors unanimously convicted both as charged – her on the basis of “wilful assault” after deciding she was responsible for her son’s injuries; him under a “wilful neglect” alternative for ignoring his obvious pain and failing to get him medical assistance.
As the verdicts were announced the pair, of Greengate Street, Newham, east London, burst into tears.
Remanding them in custody, Judge Lindsay Burn said he wanted the benefit of pre-sentence reports before dealing with them on March 10. He also ordered a psychiatric report for Biggs.
Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Marshall of the Met’s Child Abuse Investigation Command, said: “This was a very difficult investigation in view of the fact we could not establish the cause of death, although obviously Rhys had horrific injuries were inflicted on him.
“He was just eight weeks old and for half of his life he suffered repeatedly as his bones were fractured on at least three separate occasions.”
