Claire Thompson

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Claire Thompson was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm to a nine month old baby, who was found to have a fractured skull, a fracture to her femur and tibia and a broken rib. An expert at the trial said the skull fracture was probably caused by the baby’s head hitting a hard surface, the rib was probably brokwn by severe squeezing and the leg bones were likely to have been fractured by foreful pulling or twisting, or violent shaking. Thompson was one of three people who could have injured the infant. On appeal her conviction was quashed on the basis that the jury may have been prejudiced by a witness giving evidence that could have unfairly implicated her, since he “had his own axe to grind.” The court stated that it was a very unfortunate state of affairs and that evidence which could have helped clear Thompson was not followed up. Judges declined to order a retrial, saying that her trial had taken a seriously wrong turn and “enough is enough.”

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