Boyfriend gets life for killing crying baby

Oliver Longcake was looking after Alisia Salter and her four-year-old half-brother Harry while their mother Liane worked in a nearby bingo hall.

The 21-year-old had been changing her nappy when, in a moment of rage, he stamped on the defenceless baby’s chest.

He later told shocked doctors at hospital he “couldn’t cope” with her crying – admitting “it’s my fault, I stood on her, I stamped on her’.”

Alisia’s father Gary Miller branded his daughter’s killer “sick” yesterday after Judge Jeremy Richardson QC jailed Longcake for life and ordered he seve a minimum of 13 years.

Hull Safeguarding Children Board is carrying out a serious case review but would not comment on whether social services were involved with the family.

Unemployed Longcake had accidentally dropped Alisia the previous night, bruising her forehead.

He admitted this to Ms Salter but had not taken the youngster to hospital because she “appeared ok” and her mother left for work as usual the next morning, March 22.

Sentencing Longcake at Hull Crown Court, Judge Richardson told him: “She was very vulnerable, it almost defies description to stamp on a baby as you did.

“You momentarily lost control of your temper when you were in a stressful situation.

“I do not underestimate the stresses involved in taking care of babies but many parents have faced much worse than you ever faced that morning. I have little doubt you were a wholly unsuitable carer for a baby and should never have been left in charge of Alisia.”

Simon Waley, prosecuting, told the court Longcake made a 999 call just past 11am. He was talked through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but with no success.

The child was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary but was pronounced dead later having suffered massive internal injuries, including abdominal haemorrhaging, as well as a lacerated liver, bruising to her forehead and fractured ribs.

Mr Waley said at hospital Longcake told medics he had been unable to stop Alisia crying.

“He had changed her nappy but had got stressed and stamped on her stomach.

“He had then put her in the bath and gone to get a towel. When he returned she was not breathing.

“He told a doctor ‘It’s my fault, I couldn’t cope with it anymore, I stood on her, I stamped on her.”

Defending, Malcolm Swift QC said Longcake expressed “his deepest remorse”.

But outside court Mr Miller said: “No sentence is ever going to make up for the loss of our beautiful baby girl; 13 years is effectively one year for every month she was alive.”

Ms Salter, who wept briefly during the hearing, added: “She was perfect, she was all smiles.”

Det Supt Dina Fleming from Humberside Police said: “Longcake was a troubled child, had a troubled upbringing and had behavioural problems and problems with anger. He wasn’t the right person to look after a small baby.”

Longcake had two previous convictions after an incident last May in which he threatened two women with a knife over a debt.

He was given a suspended nine-month prison sentence and ordered to attend an anger management course.

He had initially denied the murder of Alisia but pleaded guilty yesterday.