18 years for killer of adopted baby daughter who showed no remorse

A MAN who murdered his daughter two weeks after formally adopting her showed no emotion yesterday as he was jailed for a minimum of 18 years.

Matthew Scully-Hicks (31) received a life sentence for violently shaking 18-month-old Elsie Scully-Hicks and striking her head at their home in Llandaff, Cardiff, in May 2016.

He described the toddler as “a psycho”, “the exorcist” and “Satan dressed up in a Baby grow” in text messages.

Cardiff Crown Court heard he struggled to cope with being the primary carer for Elsie as his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks (36), worked full-time.

Scully-Hicks denied murder, but a jury unanimously convicted him after a four-week trial.

Elsie Scully-Hicks, and her killer Matthew Scully-Hicks

Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Davies said: “Elsie was aged just 18 months when you killed her, a young, vulnerable and defenceless child.

“She had been entrusted to the care of yourself and your husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, her adoptive fathers.

“Shortly before 18.19pm on

May 25, 2016 you inflicted injuries of such severity upon Elsie as to cause her immediate collapse and her death on May 29.

“The injuries were sustained when you gripped Elsie around the chest, your fingers were on her back exerting pressure which fractured her ribs.

“The fracture to the skull was caused by an impact with a hard surface. Her collapse would have swiftly followed, that having occurred, you called the emergency services.”

The judge said Scully-Hicks’s case was aggravated by Elsie’s vulnerability due to her age and an abuse of a position of trust.

“I find that aggravating your offending is the fact that your actions on May 25 were not isolated.

“I am satisfied you inflicted injuries upon Elsie in November 2015 which caused the fractures to her leg and in December 15 the large bruise to her forehead,” the judge said.

“You had, and were aware that you had, a predisposition to injure your adoptive daughter.

“You took no steps to prevent a recurrence of the earlier incidents when Elsie suffered injuries as a result of your actions.

“It has been submitted on your behalf that a statutory mitigating factor is the lack of premeditation.

“In finding that you acted in anger I accept that represents a lack of premeditation.

“However, the absence of premeditation is tempered by the fact that your anger towards Elsie did not represent an isolated occasion and you knew that your anger could lead to deliberately inflicted injury.

“No remorse has been shown.” She added: “You have been assessed by two independent psychiatrists who found no psychiatric condition which would have affected your actions.”

Scully-Hicks showed no emotion as he was told he would spend a minimum of 18 years in prison.

A couple of people sitting in the public gallery were crying.