Man who murdered baby girl in Xbox rage jailed

Violet Mullen was punched, slapped and pinched by Gary Alcock in the three weeks leading up to her death before he delivered a fatal blow to the stomach which tore her internal organs.

Alcock, 28, must serve a minimum of 21 years before he can be considered for parole.

A jury at Manchester Court had cleared his ex-partner, Claire Flanagan, 22, – the child's mother – of murder.

Last month she was instead found guilty of causing or allowing the death of Violet by ignoring the obvious signs of abuse.

The court heard Flanagan put her desperate need for a man in her life ahead of her daughter.

She was jailed for five years.

An ambulance was called to Flanagan's home on January 12 after Alcock told emergency services the child seemed "spaced out" and her lips were blue and cold.

Paramedics entered the house in Huddersfield Road, Oldham, and found Violet was not breathing and covered in bruises.

They tried to revive her in the ambulance en route to Royal Oldham Hospital but she died 45 minutes after arrival.

The youngster died from internal bleeding after suffering 35 separate injuries including multiple bruises, rib fractures and brain damage, which were comparable to injuries suffered in a car crash

Alcock had moved in with Flanagan just weeks after they started seeing each other.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Clement Goldstone QC, said: "In the three weeks before her death you, Gary Alcock, subjected her to repeated violence. You fractured two of her ribs either by squeezing or gripping her so tight that they snapped.

"You caused injuries to her brain, face, arms and legs with a combination of punches, slaps and, bordering on the sadistic, pinches.

"This was the way you chose to cope with a demanding little girl who demanded your attention and interrupted your time-consuming hobby of playing computer games."

Alcock put her to bed on the day of her death, said the judge, "no doubt in the hope that you would have some time free to indulge your desire to play on your Xbox".

He continued: "Violet was sick, she required changing, she required your time and patience.

"You lost control and your temper in the most unimaginable way. You struck her first in the mouth and then inexplicably and with savage force in the stomach."

Judge Goldstone said Flanagan knew for weeks that her boyfriend was hurting her daughter but did nothing to protect her.

He told her: "As a mother you failed her miserably.

"That is something you will have to live with the for the rest of your life.

David Fish QC, representing Alcock, said his client had not planned to kill Violet but appeared to have lost his temper with her.

Andrew O'Byrne QC, defending Flanagan, said she had been neglected as a child, in care by the age of 10, physically and sexually abused and pregnant aged 16.