August 2010 Pair jailed after sickening abuse of child GUILTY: Michael Quilty and Stacey Bride were jailed A woman who failed to get medical help for a baby girl who suffered sickening child abuse injuries has been jailed. Stacey Bride, 24, was sentenced to three years in prison after the youngster sustained fractures to both arms and a leg. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also sustained bruising to her face and head and scalds on her left foot. Bride, originally from Rochdale, was cleared of causing any injuries, but admitted neglecting to take her to a doctor or hospital. Michael Quilty, 26, was jailed for six years for assaulting the tot during what a judge described as a period of ‘sadistic ill treatment’. Chester Crown Court heard how the injuries came to light when the baby was taken to Leighton Hospital, in Crewe, in February. The youngster had injuries including bruising to her face, four fractures to her left arm and two breaks to her leg. She was also suffering from a torn inside upper lip – consistent with a side-swipe to the face. She underwent surgery and was put in a body cast. Quilty denied perverting the course of justice and assaulting the child, but was found guilty after a trial earlier this month. The jury found he caused scalding to the child’s foot and at least one of the seven fractures. Bride was cleared of assaulting the child, but was found guilty of perverting the course of justice by misleading doctors and police. Explanations Both had earlier admitted child neglect by not taking her for medical treatment. The defendants gave a number of explanations for the injuries, saying the baby fell off a high chair and burnt her foot on a gas fire. But medical experts challenged these explanations in court. Bride was living at a property in Crewe when the assaults took place. She wept as she was sentenced, while Quilty, who was previously convicted of affray in 2006, remained expressionless. Judge Nicholas Woodward said Bride has ‘misled doctors and police’ and said Quilty had committed ‘sadistic ill treatment’. He added: “It was clear that over a period of weeks that she was subjected to many separate injuries inflicted on at least five occasions. They would in many of those cases caused loss of function and immobility and be extremely painful. “The suffering she endured was inevitably made worse because injuries continued to be inflicted and they remained untreated. “The suffering that this child had to go through goes well beyond callous indifference and it amounts to serious cruelty.” DS Julie Jackson, of Crewe’s public protection unit, said: “We are pleased that they have been sentenced and that serious harm caused to a child has been acknowledged and justice has been served. This is a positive message to the public that matters of this nature will be treated seriously.”