Ava Grace Nolan: Nelson parents jailed for causing baby's death

A couple have been jailed for causing or allowing "catastrophic" injuries that led to the death of their eight-day-old daughter.

Ava Grace Nolan died in hospital after being found unresponsive at an address in Nelson, Lancashire, in August 2017.

A post-mortem found she died of a head injury, likely to have been caused by forceful shaking.

Her father Daniel Nolan, 30, was jailed for 10 years and mother Sophie Nash, 31, was handed a term of eight years.

They were both convicted of causing or allowing her death, two counts of causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child and child cruelty after a trial at Preston Crown Court.

Judge Robin Spencer told the pair: "She was only eight days old. She was a defenceless baby.

"It was the duty of both of you to protect her. Instead she paid the ultimate price for that appalling breach of your duty as parents."

Lancashire Police were called to an address on Dover Street by the ambulance service on 16 August 2017 after Ava Grace was reported to be unresponsive.

The newborn baby was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where she died shortly after midnight on 17 August.

'Horrendous injuries'

Jurors heard Nolan and Nash, of Windsor Street in Burnley, had a "volatile and violent relationship" and blamed each other for the death.

Ava had also suffered a separate brain injury as well as a broken leg which she is believed to have suffered in the days leading up to her death, police said.

Following the sentencing, Det Insp Tracey McMurdo said: "This was a toxic environment for a small child to go into and really Ava stood no chance despite the best efforts of agencies around her and other family members trying to intervene and help."

Speaking after the verdict, Det Ch Insp Jill Johnston said it was a "harrowing and difficult trial".

"Whilst we have been unable to prove which one inflicted those horrendous injuries which caused their baby daughter's death, what we have been able to prove is that they are both ultimately responsible," she said.

"One of them shook baby Ava to death and the other allowed it to happen.

"Neither of them sought medical assistance for the initial injuries that Ava suffered in those very short days of her life and I suspect that they delayed seeking medical help on the evening of her death, until it was certainly too late."

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