Baby murder youth jailed for life

Mitchell Cooper was 16 years old at the time of the murder

A 17-year-old youth who murdered his girlfriend's baby at a hostel has been sentenced to life in prison.

Eleven-month-old Ruby Spink died from a blow to the head in September at a hostel in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Mitchell Cooper was ordered to serve a minimum term of 12 years by Judge Peter Jacobs at Norwich Crown Court.

Laura Spink, 18, admitted neglecting her daughter, who was on a protection register. She was given 12 months in a young offenders' institution.

Cooper, who was not the baby's father, was found guilty of murder at Norwich Crown Court in July.

Judge Jacobs said Cooper's dislike of the child "had got to him", and he had killed her after being violent to her over a considerable period of time.

Cooper had also called Ruby racist names.

The trial jury heard that she had been killed when her head was slammed against a wall as she was spun round.

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Ruby Spink was being cared for by her mother at a Great Yarmouth hostel

Cooper, who was 16 at the time of the murder, initially claimed the baby had choked on a piece of cake, but he later changed his account.

The court heard that Laura Spink did not try to stop the abuse and also joined in the abuse of her daughter.

Outside the court, Det Insp Andy Guy, of Norfolk Police, said: "He is a violent and immature young man whose brutal actions left a defenceless child in significant pain and ultimately lead to her death."

After Cooper was convicted, Norfolk Children's Services said that days before the baby's death social workers had devised a protection plan, as they thought Ruby was being neglected.

Cooper had been banned from seeing the child because of concerns about his behaviour.

Over the course of several weeks she was taken to a GP, a paediatrician and an orthopaedic surgeon.

After sentencing, Meera Spillett, deputy director of children's services at Norfolk County Council, said: "We, along with several other agencies, had been closely monitoring Ruby's health and welfare.

'No complaints'

"Ruby's mother did not stick to the child protection plan that was agreed.

"Cooper had been assessed as low risk. During the course of his trial, several witnesses have spoken of his ill-treatment of Ruby.

"We heard most of this evidence for the first time in court.

"The court also heard that no residents at the hostel ever complained to either us or the police about his treatment of Ruby."

An independent review into the baby's death is expected to be released shortly.