A MUM and dad who caused the death of their severely underweight baby daughter after she suffered multiple injuries have been jailed.

Ava Mae Collard died three days after she was rushed to hospital while in cardiac arrest.

Rebecca Grocott, 27, and Joshua Collard, 30, have today been jailed for eight years each for causing the five-month-old's death.

The couple were also found guilty of causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child, and two counts of assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting or abandoning a child or young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

Stafford Crown Court heard little Ava Mae would have suffered “pain and misery throughout her short life”.

"Violent, ill-tempered misogynist" Collard was more interested in his dog than his daughter after "losing interest" in Ava Mae when he discovered she was a girl.

She had 28 different rib fractures, was severely underweight had been exposed to cannabis and was covered in bruises and swelling including a cauliflower ear.

Sentencing the pair, Mr Justice Cotter KC said her injuries were consistent with her ribs being "squeezed".

He added: "Both of you have lied about events that happened in Ava's short life. She was grasped so tightly she couldn't breathe and her heart stopped.

"After a heart attack, she would have been unresponsive in seconds. Neither of you have told the whole truth about what happened."

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Emergency crews were called to the family home in Stone, Staffordshire, on February 27, 2020.

Ava Mae was rushed to hospital but sadly couldn't be saved and died two days later.

A post mortem found she had suffered multiple fractures to her ribs, collarbone and femer.

The baby also had a severe trauma to the side of her head, with her parents arrested over her death.

She had been exposed to cannabis, which was grown in the family home by Collard.

Both Grocott and Collard were unable to explain Ava Mae's injuries when quizzed by police.

Peter Grice, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Ava Mae did not die a natural death and suffered such heinous injuries over time, including repeated exposure to cannabis.

"Joshua Collard and Rebecca Grocott should have loved and nurtured their baby and neither of them took steps to protect her.

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"While there is no sentencing outcome that can bring Ava Mae back to her loved ones, I hope today's sentencing brings her wider family some closure. My deepest sympathy to them all."

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