Harper Denton: Inquest finds state failed murdered baby

Kevin Eves was jailed for life for murdering his eight-week old daughter in November 2019

Failings by the state contributed to the death of an eight-week-old baby, who was murdered by her "dangerous" father, a coroner has found.

Harper Denton was smothered by Kevin Eves, 39, previously of Wixams, near Bedford, after inflicting multiple injuries on her, including a fractured skull, in June 2018.

He was jailed for life in 2019, to serve a minimum term of 20 years.

Eves had a previous conviction for assault against a two-year-old child.

The senior coroner for Bedfordshire, Emma Whitting, said in her conclusion: "The deceased was unlawfully killed by her father who had been previously convicted of violent offences against a two-year-old; failures by state agencies sufficiently to manage the continued high level of risk of his further offending contributed to her death."

The inquest in Ampthill, was told that Eves was jailed for nine years in 2006 for causing grievous bodily harm and assaulting a two-year-old boy in his care, while he was living in Bournemouth in Dorset and using the surname Forbes.

After that conviction, a multi-agency public protection team said he should not have access to any children.

'Arguably more dangerous'

The inquest in Ampthill looked at whether any state agency could have protected the Denton family from becoming involved with Eves.

The coroner said multi-agency reviews of Eves, involving the police, the probation service, and other teams dealing with child protection and domestic abuse, did not take place after his release from prison.

Ms Whitting said: "On release on licence on 15 July 2010, Kevin Eves was the same dangerous man, arguably more dangerous, than he had been at his criminal trial in 2006.

"The deceased was conceived without either her mother, Bedfordshire Police, or local healthcare professionals being aware of the continued risk he posed to her."

The inquest heard that Eves had come to the attention of the Met Police in 2012, following two reports of domestic violence against his then-girlfriend.

The coroner heard the Met had not reported these allegations to probation services, and there followed more incidences of domestic violence in Croydon in south London in 2014.

Ms Whitting said the Met had failed to investigate whether it was possible to bring further charges against Eves, evaluate whether he should be identified as a person who still posed a risk of harm, or apply for him to be the subject of a violent offender order.

An order would have meant he had to notify the authorities of his whereabouts and relationships.

Opportunities 'presented'

The coroner said a further opportunity to prevent Harper's death took place in "a chance encounter" with Bedfordshire Police in November 2017 which was treated as a driving incident.

The police were aware Harper's mother was pregnant after following Eves home.

The coroner said this was a "missed opportunity" to carry out further safeguarding investigations.

Det Supt Zara Brown, head of public protection at Bedfordshire Police, said: "Before she was born, officers stopped Kevin Eves for routine traffic offences in November 2017.

"We now know that incident presented an opportunity for further referrals which may have helped to safeguard baby Harper the following year."

She said the force would be "taking forward the recommendations and learning identified through this inquest".