Kaylee-Jayde Priest: Mother jailed for killing her three-year-old - BBC News
The child was hurt for disturbing her mother and partner when they tried to have sex, a judge says.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Kaylee-Jayde Priest: CCTV shows last time she was seen before her death

A mother and her boyfriend have been jailed for killing her three-year-old daughter after the girl's cries interrupted sex.

Nicola Priest, 23, was sentenced to 15 years over the death of Kaylee-Jayde Priest who was found dead last year at the Solihull flat where they lived.

Priest and then lover Callum Redfern, 22, who was jailed for 14 years, were found guilty of manslaughter.

They lost their tempers and there was a "severe beating", the judge said.

Nicola Priest and Callum Redfern pointed the finger of blame at each other during their trial

Mr Justice Foxton QC said Kaylee-Jayde had been put to bed at about 19:00 BST while the couple then went to have sex in Priest's bedroom.

"But like many children her age, Kaylee did not want to go to bed, but to stay up and play," he said.

He said there was no direct evidence as to what happened next, but that Kaylee-Jayde subsequently vomited repeatedly, later dying of her injuries overnight.

"The vomiting was the result of the severe beating you were both responsible for inflicting on her.

"No doubt irritated by Kaylee crying, asking to be let out, it interrupted the two of you when you wanted to have sex.

"You lost your tempers and were parties to the assault which cost Kaylee her life.

"A prompt call for medical assistance by one or the other of you would have saved Kaylee's life."

The youngster, whose body was discovered on 9 August, died from serious chest and abdominal injuries.

Experts likened her wounds to those of a child hit by a car at 40mph, or from falling three floors on to a concrete floor.

The child's mother phoned 999 but a jury convicted Priest after hearing the youngster had been dead before the call was made.

Medical examinations showed Kaylee-Jayde had also suffered historical injuries including broken ribs, lower leg fractures and a broken sternum.

Priest, of Poplar Avenue, Edgbaston, Birmingham, and Redfern, of Temple Street, Dudley, West Midlands, were cleared of murder.

In a text message exchange on 24 July last year, days before the youngster's death, Priest told Redfern: "I'm gonna kill her... because she keeps leaving the living room or going in the kitchen, so I've paled [hit] her one and smacked her for [dirtying] her nappy."

On one occasion, neighbours in a flat below at Kingshurst House recalled hearing a bang above and then Kaylee-Jayde crying, before allegedly hearing Priest say: "I'll just say she fell off the bed."

The youngster was described in court as a "lively and happy child"

In his police interview, asked how the girl's death had affected him, Redfern replied: "It's not my child... it's not really affected me."

At their trial, Priest and Redfern, who the judge said was the "dominant" partner in the relationship, each blamed the other.

West Midlands Police said it was unclear who delivered the fatal blows or whether they both played a part.

Senior investigating officer Det Insp Adam Jobson, from the force's homicide unit, said police believed "the level of discipline she was subjected to became increasingly forceful and violent during Priest and Redfern's relationship".

The mother was also found guilty of cruelty to a child, relating to the youngster's previous injuries, though Redfern was cleared of that charge.

Priest, who was also jailed for three years to be served concurrently for the child cruelty offence, and Redfern must both serve two-thirds of their jail terms before they can be considered for release.

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