Criminal Justice
I dead baby - 2 perfectly healthy young adults (parents) both of whom steadfastly refuse to incriminate or exonerate the other in the dreadful circumstances surrounding the death of their own child.
The Northhampton Chronicle records nonetheless that the parents of little Jamie Kightley - Adam Kightley and Jacqueline Parker - were both held to be responsible for his death and for that heinous crime they were both detained for only 7 years.
With every day that passes the phrase 'criminal justice' seems more and more like an oxymoron.
Parents of baby Jamie Kightley sentenced to seven years for “unspeakable crime”
The parents of baby Jamie Kightley have been given seven-year sentences after they were found guilty of causing or allowing the death of their seven-week-old son.
At Nottingham Crown Court this morning, Adam Kightley, aged 24 was jailed for seven years and Jacqueline Parker, aged 21 was sent to a young offenders’ institute for the same period.
On Wednesday, a jury found both Kightley and Parker guilty of causing or allowing the death of their son at their home in Far Cotton, in Northampton, on March 17 last year.
Chris Cuthbert from the NSPCC’s said the two had now been “held to account for their unspeakable crime”.
He said: “Tiny Jamie Kightley died at the hands of his parents, the people who should have cared for, protected and nurtured him.
“That he should have endured such pain, inflicted by his own mum and dad, in his short life is extremely distressing. They have now been held to account for their unspeakable crime.
“We may never know the full story about what happened to Jamie. The family was not known to social services and it is unclear as to whether the parents had been involved with other authorities prior to little Jamie’s death.
“It seems that if anybody had concerns about this little boy’s welfare, they were not voiced.”
Mr Cuthbert urged anyone who suspected other children may be at risk from harm to contact the NSPCC.
He said: “We know that early intervention with vulnerable families can make a big difference in helping to keep children safe from harm, but this relies on people speaking out so that the right action can be taken at the right time to prevent problems from getting any worse.
“Reporting concerns enables agencies to intervene earlier to assess the risk to the child, keep them safe from harm and if appropriate, give parents the support they need to care for their child.
“I urge anybody who has concerns about the welfare of a baby or a child of any age not to wait to speak to someone, but contact the free, 24 hour NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000, text 88858 or email help@nspcc.org.uk”
Kightley and Parker had been accused of murdering Jamie, who died at the couple’s flat in London Road, Far Cotton.
But on Friday last week, the jury was told to find the pair not guilty of murder, and instead consider the charge of causing or allowing the death of a child, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
Judge Jeremy Baker told the jury the seven-week-old baby’s injuries were consistent with him having been violently shaken to the point where it caused his death.
A post-mortem examination found extensive bruising to Jamie’s head and bleeding within the protective layers around the brain.
The examination found a mixture of new and old bleeding, while examinations of the baby’s rib cage also found fresh fractures alongside older fractures.
The pair said they did not know how Jamie sustained the injuries.
