Pair jailed over their four-week-old baby's death amid 'toxic' relationship

A high-flying City worker and her lover have been jailed over the death of their baby daughter, in which a judge said “serious cruelty” played a part.

Baby Eva suffered 27 rib fractures as well as injuries to her head and spine from three “brutal” assaults, jurors at the Old Bailey heard previously.

Clare Sanders, 44, a management consultant, had denied causing four-week-old Eva’s injuries or noticing signs of mistreatment.

Tomas Vaitkevicius, 45, a handyman, was put on trial with Sanders and jurors convicted them of causing or allowing the death of their child. Both were cleared of murder.

The court heard Eva was “violently shaken” in at least three instances days apart.

Sanders wept when she was sentenced to eight years in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday, while Vaitkevicius was jailed for nine.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC said drink played a “major part” in the tragedy while the two tried to present a picture of “calm”.

“Eva was in the midst of your toxic relationship”, the judge said.

“I am entirely satisfied on all the evidence there were at least three incidents of significant trauma to Eva and it would have been obvious to each of you she suffered trauma yet you did nothing about it.

“I’m entirely satisfied there were incidents of serious cruelty and very significant force was used.”

During the trial, prosecutor Tom Little QC said: “This was, we say, a brutal series of assaults. A defenceless baby was not able to talk, not able to say what happened, not able to defend herself.”

The court heard that on 27 August 2017, days before Eva’s death, Sanders searched the internet on her phone for “shaken baby syndrome NHS”, “shaking babies” and “baby is shaking”.

She later told police her baby’s arms and legs were shaking and she didn’t know why.

A neighbour of the couple raised the alarm early on 1 September 2017 when she was woken by Sanders screaming and ringing the doorbell.

Read more: Father who slit his children's throats detained in hospital indefinitely

Eva was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, South London, but died the next day.

Sanders, who who left her £90,000-a-year job before Eva was born, was described as being manipulative and controlling.

She told jurors that Eva “wasn’t difficult” and denied drinking too much or her care being affected by stress.

She said she was suffering difficulties in her relationship with Vaitkevicius but said it was “alright for Eva”, who she described as a “quiet baby”.

Vaitkevicius, of Mitcham, South London, denied attacking their daughter, and said Sanders – who he met after helping with her bathroom – would drink up to three bottles of wine a day.

Jurors heard his past convictions included grabbing his first wife by the neck in an argument, damaging Sanders’ property in 2018 and breaching a restraining order imposed on him in relation to Sanders.

Read more: Police officer left with shocking injuries after being punched in the face

He told the court Sanders punched him in the stomach once but he was not violent to her.

He said he was watching TV when Sanders went to check on Eva but heard her shout within seconds.

Vaitkevicius said he ran to the bathroom to see Sanders holding the “limp” baby.

In 2017, he was cautioned for harassing Sanders after phoning her 33 times.

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