Father Jailed For Baby Murder

19 February 2010, 13:20 | Updated: 19 February 2010, 13:29

A Whittlesey man, originally from Nigeria, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for murdering his baby daughter.

34 year old Olusola Akinrele was sentenced at the Old Bailey after being found guilty of the murder of his seven week old daughter Leeya.

Leeya was taken to hospital on December 18th 2006, and died 12 days later when her life support machine was turned off.

During the three weeks before that, she had suffered 22 broken ribs as well as fractured skull and thigh.

She had also been bitten on the nose and both hands.

Judge Philip Clegg said: "When she was not asleep, Leeya must have been in excruciating pain."

Akinrele was described in a psychiatric report as "a manipulative individual with psychopathic traits."

Detective Inspector Jim McCrorie, from Cambridgeshire Police, said: "This is a truly horrendous crime which Akinrele has continuously denied, refusing to accept his guilt.

Every child has the right to be protected and feel safe in their own home and it is a parent's responsibility to ensure this is the case.

Leeya was let down by the man who should have been protecting her."