Ruby Thompson death: Woman who murdered baby she wanted to adopt jailed

Katie Tidmarsh was found guilty after a trial at Leicester Crown Court

A woman who murdered a baby she was about to adopt has been jailed for at least 17 years.

Katie Tidmarsh inflicted catastrophic head injuries to one-year-old Ruby Thompson at home in Leicester in 2012.

The 39-year-old tried to cover it up by delaying treatment for Ruby, Leicester Crown Court heard.

Judge Mr Justice Mark Wall handed Tidmarsh a life sentence for the "murderous attack" on a "defenceless young child".

The trial heard emergency services were called to Pickwell Close, Glenfield, on 11 August and Ruby was taken to hospital, where she died two days later.

Jurors were told the baby had suffered a complex skull fracture, spinal damage and bleeding on the brain and eyes.

Tidmarsh claimed Ruby had been behaving in a "normal manner" before her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and attributed the injuries to her collapse.

But the judge said experts dismissed this and said her injuries were comparable to a "fall from a two or more storey building" and a "road traffic accident of more than 60mph".

Emergency services were called to an address in Pickwell Close in Leicester

While in hospital, an X-ray examination found Ruby had sustained a broken bone in her arm about two weeks before.

Ruby had been taken to hospital at the time, but Tidmarsh claimed the baby had been knocked over by one of her dogs while standing against a sofa.

But the court heard Tidmarsh did not seek medical attention for Ruby's broken arm straight away and was only taken to hospital after the defendant's mother noticed she was "in discomfort and not using her arm properly".

The judge told Tidmarsh she was "ill-equipped" to raise a child due to her mental health conditions.

The court heard she had not told social workers on an adoption panel about her anxiety and depression when Ruby was placed in her care.

"You also tried to cover up what you had done by delaying medical treatment for Ruby," the judge said.

"You have steadfastly maintained that nothing happened to Ruby on the morning of her collapse, bar her eyes rolling into the back of her head and her falling backwards on to the rug.

"You abused her that morning and then have lied to cover up what you did."

Tidmarsh, now of Station Road, Littlethorpe, was found guilty of murder by majority verdict and guilty of one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm, also by majority verdict, on Thursday.

Decade-long process

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said police had gathered evidence and submitted a file in December 2013 for prosecutors to consider a charge of murder.

In February 2014, it was decided by the CPS not to charge anyone in connection with Ruby's death.

An inquest was held into Ruby's death, which concluded she died from a head injury, the cause of which could not be established.

Three years later, the CPS said Tidmarsh became subject to separate court proceedings - and additional medical experts were instructed for the hearing surrounding Ruby's case.

A judge ruled Tidmarsh had inflicted the injuries that resulted in Ruby's collapse and death.

This led to "further consultation" between officers and the CPS, and following additional medical expert evidence obtained by police, Tidmarsh was arrested and charged with murder in July 2022.

Tidmarsh appeared at Leicester Crown Court for sentencing on Friday

The court heard Tidmarsh "did not fear prosecution" until her arrest.

Addressing her, the judge said: "The evidence is that you were able to get on with your life, confident that your past would not catch up with you.

"This delay has allowed you to carry on with your life while relatively young for 10 years or more when you ought to have been in prison."

Leicestershire County Council - the authority that placed Ruby into Tidmarsh's care - told the BBC an independent review found the "right steps and assessments were carried out" based on information provided.

A serious case review into Ruby's death, published in 2016, found she "experienced some accidents and injuries" under Tidmarsh's care.

The report said these were "evidenced as accidental", but there was no record on how it impacted the child.

When she suffered a shoulder injury and was taken to hospital, "no professional visited her at home to see how she was", the report added.

Senior investigating officer Det Ch Insp Mark Sinski, from Leicestershire Police, said: "Tidmarsh has evaded justice since 2012 and will now be facing a lengthy sentence for her actions in taking the life of a young child, a child who was placed in her care to give her what was believed to be a better life."