Drug addict jailed for killing child

Saunders' boyfriend Jones killed her daughter

A heroin addict who murdered his girlfriend's three-year-old daughter has been jailed for life.

Adrian Jones, from Wolverhampton, waited until his girlfriend Nicola Saunders was out working as a prostitute, before he abused and killed Terri Saunders.

Birmingham Crown Court heard on Tuesday, the youngster had suffered more than 100 injuries to her body, including a broken collarbone, cuts to her face, burns and extensive internal injuries.

Jailing the 30-year-old for life, with a recommendation he serve at least 23 years, Mr Justice Astill, said: "It is a story of cruelty and depravity and hardly recognisable of human behaviour.

On the night Terri died, bearing in mind the treatment she received, Terri asked you to stay in and not leave her alone with the man that killed her

Mr Justice Astil

"In my judgment, it is important that the public do know what a life sentence is."

Saunders was jailed for three years after she admitted child neglect.

Mr Justice Astill told her she had turned a "blind eye" to her daughter's suffering.

"Your priority in life was to get the next heroin fix.

"On the night Terri died, bearing in mind the treatment she received, Terri asked you to stay in and not leave her alone with the man that killed her."

A post-mortem examination revealed Terri died from a brain haemorrhage, although there was also evidence of abdominal injuries consistent with a beating.