'Traumatic and tragic': Northampton man jailed for killing his five-month-old step-granddaughter while babysitting her

A Northampton man was jailed for just over six years after admitting to killing his five-month-old step-granddaughter while babysitting her.

Richard Loasby previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of the young baby in Towcester in December 2018 by shaking her.

The 39-year-old, of St Peter's Gardens, Weston Favell, who was deemed to have 'mild-to-moderate learning difficulties', claimed it was an accident.

Sentencing him at Northampton Crown Court today (Friday, November 13), His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo said: "The injuries in which you inflicted killed [the baby].

"There is nothing this court can do that will bring her back and no sentence that will put a value on her life - it was beyond value.

"The best thing that can come from your eventual guilty plea and sentence will be to provide some sort of closure for the family of [the baby] who died in traumatic and tragic circumstances."

Loasby was asked to look after the little girl as her mother, grandmother and the defendant's partner were going out together on December 15, 2018.

The defendant has been a trusted member of the family for around 10 years.

He told police milk started to come out of her mouth and nose while bottle-feeding the baby so he tried to help her by holding her upside-down for around two minutes before she stopped breathing.

The baby was rushed to A&E before being taken by ambulance to Nottingham Children's Hospital but there was nothing they could do to save her.

In a statement read out in court, the baby's mother said: "I can honestly say that the moment I was told the life support system would be turned off, my heart sunk and my whole world came crashing down on top of me - I had lost my daughter."

An autopsy found she had been shaken 'with such a force that a caring observer would have stopped Loasby in his tracks', the judge said.

The defendant admitted in his submission to the court today that he had shaken his partner's granddaughter but has never revealed why.

Judge Mayo said: "For the first time you have admitted you shook her. You did not intend to kill her or cause serious harm, that's why you are guilty of manslaughter and not murder.

"The assault on a defenceless baby involved a high risk of serious injury that must have been obvious to you in the moment that led to you shaking her."

The court heard how the baby's mother feels lost and struggles to cope most days but puts on a brave face - she does not think she will ever come to terms with her daughter's death.

The girl's father was so profoundly disturbed by the death of his daughter that he could not work, which put a financial toll on the family.

Judge Mayo added that it was particularly tragic that the family has had to move to a new address as they felt judged by their small community, despite being the victims.

The baby's mother added: "Never could I imagine my life-changing in this way, never can I hold my baby girl again - my life has been destroyed.

"We've been through two years of hell and I don't feel that remorse has been shown."

The court heard how the baby's father's lasting memory was of the fairly brief time he spent with her before the incident, putting on her dressing gown as she smiled back at him.

"The next memory is her lying lifeless in a hospital bed surrounded by police with evidence bags," his statement said.

The court heard that Loasby loved and doted on the baby - his defence lawyer described the accident as 'an uncharacteristic and sudden loss of control'.

Numerous character references were submitted to the court citing his good nature and he is said to have been 'overwhelmed' by the baby's death.

Judge Mayo, who sentenced Loasby to six years and four months in prison, added: "There is no defence in the mental function to reduce your understanding of the fragility to a baby of less than five months of age.

"You must have known that as you assaulted her - you knew it was wrong."