Father who murdered infant daughter receives longer prison term

A 25-year-old man convicted of murdering his infant daughter by violently shaking her has had his prison sentence lengthened by the Court of Appeal.

Thomas Holford was initially sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years at Canterbury Crown Court in July, following his conviction for the death of his daughter, Everleigh Stroud. At the time of the incident, Everleigh was just five weeks old and left alone in her fathers care on the night of April 20, 2021.

The court heard that Everleigh sustained severe brain and skeletal injuries, along with eye atrophy that left her blind, after being shaken with extreme force by Holford at her grandparents residence in Ramsgate. She remained in hospital for over a year and tragically passed away at 14 months old on May 27, 2022.

The Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves, referred Holfords sentence to the Court of Appeal in September, arguing it was "unduly lenient". During the appeal, lawyers highlighted that the aggravating circumstances greatly outweighed any mitigating factors, including the fact that Holford was heavily intoxicated with cannabis at the time of the attack.

Three senior judges agreed and extended Holfords minimum term by two years. Lord Justice Edis, alongside Mr Justice Sheldon and Mr Justice Calver, emphasized that Holford knowingly consumed large amounts of cannabis despite understanding it could impair his self-control, and that he deliberately did so while he was the sole caregiver for his infant daughter that night.

Holford had a history of regular cannabis use and admitted in messages that caring for Everleigh would be "stressful." On the night in question, Everleighs mother was away visiting friends. When she returned home, she found her daughter critically injured and called emergency services. Reports indicated that Holford remained largely indifferent, continuing to use his phone and play games while Everleigh received medical attention.

In extending the sentence, Lord Justice Edis described Everleigh as "as vulnerable as any human could be" and condemned the severe harm inflicted upon her.

Author: Connor Blake