ROSE JONES POISONING CASE SHOCKS PLYMOUTH: MOTHER'S CRUELTY LEADS TO JAIL SENTENCE
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Plymouth, a mother named Rose Jones, aged 30, has been sentenced to seven years and two months in prison for deliberately poisoning her one-year-old daughter.The heinous act involved the repeated addition of high doses of tramadol, a potent painkiller, into the child's expressed breast milk, with the intent of making her ill to exploit the benefits system.
Jones’s actions came to light after her daughter was hospitalized multiple times due to severe fits.
Medical professionals initially struggled to identify the cause of her condition until investigations revealed the presence of significant amounts of tramadol in two of the milk bottles used for feeding the child.
Forensic analysis confirmed that the drug had been added after the milk was expressed, indicating deliberate tampering.
Fortunately, the child eventually made a full recovery, but the trauma inflicted by her mother’s actions left a lasting scar.
During the sentencing at Plymouth Crown Court, Judge Ian Lawrie QC delivered a stern judgment, emphasizing the gravity of Jones’s conduct.
He stated, “It’s hard to begin to take the view that any aspect of your behaviour qualifies for sympathy.
Whilst there is no long-term damage done, the point is you did cause harm and you know you caused her harm.” The judge further expressed his belief that Jones’s motives appeared to be financially driven, suggesting that her actions were an attempt to manipulate the benefits system by making her daughter appear ill.
Judge Lawrie described the case as one of a different kind of violence—an insidious form of poisoning carried out over an extended period.
He remarked, “It is perhaps worse in many ways than traditional violence.
It is the administration of poison over a length of time; there is an element of persistence and almost calculation about this.” Rose Jones, a mother of eight children, denied the charge of poisoning her other daughter, aged two, and the case related to that allegation was left on file.
As she was led away in handcuffs, she was visibly emotional, bursting into tears.
She had previously claimed that she administered tramadol to her daughter to calm her down, a justification that was not supported by evidence.
Prosecutor Jo Martin recounted that during her initial police interview, Jones, who was addicted to tramadol at the time, denied poisoning her child, describing the allegations as “sickening” and “upsetting.” She falsely accused her former partner, Shane Cruickshank, of being responsible for the poisoning, claiming he had threatened to blow up her house and send someone to stab her in the stomach.
Cruickshank was arrested based on these accusations but was later cleared of any involvement.
Jones was re-arrested and maintained her innocence until just before her trial, when she admitted to child cruelty and perverting the course of justice.
Her admission came after a period of denial, highlighting the complex and troubling nature of her case.
Prosecutors suggested that her motives might have been influenced either by her addiction or a deliberate attempt to seek sympathy and financial gain from authorities.
Shane Cruickshank, the accused’s former partner, expressed his anguish over the false allegations.
In a victim impact statement read aloud in court, he described how the accusations had profoundly affected his life, leaving him with only supervised access to his children.
He stated, “She has ripped my life apart and caused me no end of stress.
Words can’t describe the pain Rose has caused me, I feel I will be scarred for life because of her.” In a related case from May 2016, Jones faced additional charges for poisoning her two-year-old daughter and for other criminal activities, including fraud and perverting the course of justice.
She had falsely claimed her ex had started a fire in her home, which she had actually set herself.
Jones had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including possessing drugs, fraud, and perverting the course of justice, after she handed over a mobile phone containing false evidence implicating her ex-partner.
Judge Ian Lawrie QC described the case as “complex,” noting the defendant’s troubling history and behavior.
He ordered that Jones be remanded into custody, warning her that she was likely to face a significant period of imprisonment.
Her sentencing was scheduled for May 19, marking the culmination of a case that has left a community in shock and a family devastated.
