Benjamin Roach found guilty of manslaughter of baby daughter Roxie

Benjamin Roach, 24, has been found guilty of the manslaughter of his baby daughter Roxie-Jo Hopkins-Roach, in a trial verdict at Plymouth Crown Court today (Monday 20 May).

Roach of Tailyour Road, Crownhill, denied unlawfully killing one-month-old Roxie-Jo on September 23, 2010 but the jury unanimously found him guilty.

He will be sentenced tomorrow.

In a trial that lasted more than a week, the jury heard of Roxie-Jo's injuries which were described as similar to those that could be sustained as a result of a road crash.

The court was told that Roach may have shaken the baby before throwing her down hard on to a sofa or bed. Roxie-Jo would have been blind if she had survived, the court heard.

Roach initially told police that Roxie was "screaming" and "crying heavily" after he was left alone with her. He picked her up to calm her down but said she suddenly became "floppy".

Later he changed his story and said he had dropped her four feet (1.2m) on to a carpeted floor.

He also told police he shook her in "panic" when she lost consciousness to try to get a response from her.

Police were called after the one-month-old girl from Plymstock was brought in to hospital at approximately 7pm on Thursday 23 September 2010. She was taken to the high-dependency unit where she died on Friday 24 September 2010.

Mother's statement

Following the guilty verdict, Kelly Hopkins, the mother of Roxie released the following statement:

"Since losing Roxie in 2010 I have found life a struggle, having to wait over two years for a funeral and to be able to grieve properly.

"It’s the not knowing, the whys, the hows and the what ifs? But now with the closure of both her funeral which was such a perfect service for my daughter, and the court case, I can move on with my life, my daughter can now rest in peace and justice has been served.

"Losing my daughter, my parents’ granddaughter and niece to my brother and sister will always remain the hardest thing that has happened to us. Although now all I have is memories, these are memories I will cherish throughout the rest of my life.

"Following the verdict, after a lengthy two week trial, I would like to say a huge thank you to all my family and friends for being such an amazing support network over the past three years. It’s been such a difficult time for me and I wouldn’t have the strength today if it wasn’t for them.

"The justice I have fought for, for finding the truth about what happened to Roxie and knowing she is now in a better place has been all I’ve wanted and now I can finally say I have achieved it.

"I have met so many new people within the past three years, some being professional who have helped with the case and others making Roxie’s funeral fit for a princess. These are people that have made such an impact on my life and helped me cope through my darkest hour and I have no doubt we will remain friends after.

"It’s amazing how much one person can cope with when put in a situation, in this case losing a partner, losing a home and losing a child. Losing a child is losing a part of you and even though the empty space I have now will always be there, it’s not a dwelling anymore...it’s a distant memory of my perfect angel, my daughter, Roxie Michelle Hopkins."

Police statement

Detective Inspector Costa Nassaris from Devon and Cornwall Police added:

"I am glad that justice has finally been done for baby Roxie and her mother, Kelly, who has shown great courage and determination in her desire to get answers for herself and get justice for her daughter.

"There have been delays caused by issues nationally in the way these cases are dealt with and I want to thank Kelly for the patience and understanding she has shown throughout this difficult period. Our thoughts are with Kelly and her family at this time.

"I would also like to thank the team of officers who have worked on this case, especially DC Angie Thomas and DC Mark Huxham, for their professionalism and commitment to serving the family."