A father who battered his four year old daughter at their home was jailed for 21 years yesterday.
Carl Wheatley, 31, beat Alexa-Marie Quinn continually in the weeks that lead up to her death. She had 66 injuries on her tiny body and had two teeth knocked out in the vicious attacks.
Chillingly, Wheatley had been given custody of Alexa-Marie just three months before her death, in March 2014.
During the trial it was revealed that Wheatley had used internet search engines to look for remedies for bruising and how to repair broken teeth.
At St Albans Crown Court, Wheatley was handed a life sentence and told he must serve 21 years before being considered for parole. The jury was told that psychiatrists diagnosed Wheatley with multiple mental health disorders. He admitted causing Alexa-Marie’s death and pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
DCI Jerome Kent from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit said: “Alexa-Marie suffered horrific injuries at the hands of her father, a man who should have been protecting her.
“Not only did he cause her such significant injury prior to her death, he failed to seek any help for her, leaving her to suffer. Alexa-Marie, who has been described as a happy child prior to living with her father, died because he lost his temper and took his frustrations out on her.”
He added: “At the age of four she was not able to protect herself from this violent man, who then went out of his way to ensure no one else could protect or help her either. This is an extremely tragic case. No child should ever suffer in this way and our thoughts are with Alexa-Marie's family and those who cared for her.”