Dad snapped four-week-old son’s neck and left him to die
At least 22 years in jail for murder
A FATHER has been jailed for life for murdering his four-week-old son.
Little Ollie Davis suffered a broken neck and dozens of other fractures at the hands of his violent dad.
Michael Davis, 29, who was convicted of murder and grievous bodily harm at a hearing last month, has now been told he must serve at least 22 years in prison.
His defenceless baby son was pronounced dead after being found in his cot with 37 fractures, including to both arms and legs, his collar bone and ribs.
He also suffered brain injuries during up to 10 days of abuse, a court heard.
Judge Mr Justice Cotter said the murder involved a “devastating” ultimately-fatal spinal injury inflicted up to eight days before Ollie’s 2017 death.
Medical experts said the tot’s injuries were of the kind usually seen after a “high energy car crash”.
Mr Justice Cotter told Loughborough Crown Court he believed Davis had caused all the injuries in four separate overnight “episodes”.
Sentencing him, he said: “I have no doubt that during the night you became frustrated and angry, and this led to terrible violence... on multiple occasions. The attacks in their various forms were also brutal, in particular the fatal neck injury.”
Davis, who was living in Leicester with Ollie’s mum Kayleigh Driver, had shown “callous indifference” by not summoning medical help. Driver, 31, was cleared of murder and GBH with intent, but convicted of causing or allowing the child’s death and serious physical injury. Jailing her for seven years, the judge said: “You must have heard Ollie’s cries after he was assaulted, as you were together in the bedroom.” The case was delayed by complex medical evidence and health issues suffered by Driver. She appeared in court on a mobility scooter due to a chronic neurological condition.