Gosport baby death: Mother refuses to accept guilty verdict and brands ex-lover a '˜murderer'

As the seven men and five women jurors returned their unanimous verdict at Winchester Crown Court, distraught  Roxanne Davis was still in denial over her role that led to the death of her baby Stanley, who suffered '˜catastrophic' injuries that led to his demise.

The 30-year-old from Gosport wept as the verdict was returned after four days of deliberations before her aggressive side reared its head.

She repeatedly shouted at her former partner Samuel Davies, 24, who was also found guilty of causing or allowing the death of the child.

Davis bellowed: '˜You murdered my baby Sam. You've got this wrong.'

A scuffle was then heard after the pair were taken down while police were called to intervene as events erupted in the public gallery between supporters of the two defendants.

Turning to the jury, judge Jane Miller QC said: '˜If it's any consolation I think you reached absolutely the right verdict.'

The cocaine-loving pair, who were remanded in custody, will be sentenced on December 7 over Stanley's '˜horrible' death following their prolonged stint of abuse at their former flat at Garland Court in Forton Road, Gosport.

Stanley died of a fatal skull fracture and brain haemorrhage aged just 24 days on March 28 last year. 

He also sustained 32 fractures to his ribs and nine fractures to his arms and legs during three separate occasions '“ many of which were brutal refractures, jurors heard during the harrowing five-week trial.

But despite the gravity of the case against her, the sinister side of the mum was shown as she joked and even performed cartwheels in the court lobby before weeping as soon as she was back in the dock '“ desperate to convince jurors of her innocence.

At the start of the trial Davis even gave The News pictures of her affectionately holding Stanley.

But it was all part of her chilling attempt to paint herself as a caring mum who had no part in the killing of baby Stanley.

During the trial, her barrister Katie Thorne QC laid the blame squarely at the feet of Davies '“ a man she said was '˜secretly and discreetly breaking the child's bones' and was the '˜silent assassin'. 

Meanwhile Davies, who was not the biological father of Stanley, insisted his former partner was behind the horrific abuse as she struggled to cope with being a mum.

He gave evidence insisting he saw Davis '˜shaking Stanley above her head telling him to shut up'.

The depravity of the mum was laid bare when the court was played a Facebook video posted by Davis of Stanley fitting where the mum was heard giggling.

But ultimately, both their attempts to convince jurors they were blameless were rejected.

Prosecutor James Newton-Price QC, in his closing speech, said: '˜There were multiple injuries caused that were non-accidental culminating in the fatal blow that leads to the compelling conclusion that Stanley was unlawfully killed.

'˜The fatal blow was the result of a blunt impact to his head. This was done by one of the two defendants. The other one should have been aware of the danger.

'˜On three different occasions one or both of the defendants applied significant compressive force to his chest to break his rib bones and to then refracture them and other areas.

'˜This was done by twisting or pulling with force on the wrists, knees, ankles and elbows which were fractured and refractured.'

He added: '˜It was a stormy relationship with two immature and volatile adults '“ just the environment where a baby is at risk of harm, which is exactly what happened.'

Detective Chief Inspector Fiona Bitters said after the verdict: '˜The extent of Stanley's injuries at such a young age were truly shocking, no child should have to suffer in the way that he did.' 

Davis, of Lee Road, Gosport, and Davies, of St Peters Road in Basingstoke, will be sentenced on December 7.

Psychiatric assessments are being carried out on both.