Baby murderer left chilling voice note boasting he was head of household 'hierarchy'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A brute who murdered his 10-month-old stepson during a campaign of disgusting abuse left his partner a chilling voice note in which he boasted of being top of the "chain of command" in the household.

Craig Crouch sent Gemma Barton the WhatsApp memo, in which he spoke about the authority he held at his job at JCB, and said "this also has to stand at home".

Tragic Jacob Crouch, Barton's son, was subjected to a campaign of abuse, later dying of peritonitis as a result of the injuries the pair inflicted on the helpless tot.Jacob was found dead in his cot at his home in Derby in December 2020, with a catalogue of injuries during a "campaign of cruelty", reports the Mirror.A court previously heard that the twisted duo "encouraged and applauded" one another as they inflicted the abuse on the defenceless youngster.

Crouch was found guilty of murder and child cruelty at Derby Crown court on Wednesday. Barton, 33, was cleared of murder but convicted of causing or allowing Jacob's death and of an extra count of child cruelty.