• CPS had felt there wasn't enough evidence top prosecute Lesley Dunford
  • In 2009 East Sussex coroner Alan Craze demanded the case was revisited

By Leon Watson

PUBLISHED: 15:10 EST, 20 June 2012 | UPDATED: 15:22 EST, 20 June 2012

Lesley Dunford was onvicted of the manslaughter of her three-year-old daughter after an inquest into the 2004 death was dramatically halted by a coroner

Lesley Dunford was onvicted of the manslaughter of her three-year-old daughter after an inquest into the 2004 death was dramatically halted by a coroner

A mother has been convicted of killing her young daughter eight years ago after a coroner dramatically halted the tragic tots inquest.

Lesley Dunford, 33, who lives in Exeter, Devon, was imprisoned for seven years at Lewes Crown Court today after being found guilty of manslaughter.

Dunford's daughter Lucy was found dead in February 2004 and after two conflicting post mortems her mother was arrested, however at the time the CPS felt there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

Sentencing yesterday Judge Richard Brown said: 'The jury have convicted you of manslaughter of your three-year-old daughter Lucy.

'It may well be you are the only one who knows exactly what happened on that dreadful day in 04 which took you from carer to killer.

'Since then you have done your level best to lie your way out of any responsibility.

'This indicates you have little or no remorse for what you did.'

Dunford's daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed at the family home in Camber, near Rye, East Sussex.

An original post mortem found that Lucy may have died from a sudden onset of a bacterial infection which led to her choking on her own vomit.

However, during a second examination this was disputed and the idea put forward that suspicious bruising on the tot's upper body may mean her airways had been compressed forcefully.

At the time Dunford claimed her daughter had been 'perfectly fine' earlier in the day but that she had been tired so she had put her to bed - she later told paramedics she thought her daughter had had a 'fit'.

After she had found her daughter Dunfold refused to ring the emergency services until she had spoken to her husband - whom she told 'it's happened again' in reference to Lucy's younger brother Harley who had been found dead in his cot six months previously.

Paramedics at Conquest Hospital in Hastings noticed two marks on her neck which had started to bruise and requested the attendance of police at the hospital.

Dunford's house in Camber, East Sussex, where her daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed

Dunford's house in Camber, East Sussex, where her daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed

Dunford was arrested in February 2004 and interviewed by police then and again in May.

Her case was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service who decided there was not enough evidence to charge Dunford with the murder of Lucy.

'This was a difficult and complex case that involved evidence from a number of medical experts.'

Simon Ringrose, CPS

But during her inquest in 2009 East Sussex coroner Alan Craze demanded the case was revisited.

The inquest threw up new information which had been given by medical experts in 2005 during a Family Court hearing into Lucy's death.

This information had not been passed on to the CPS. Dunford was then rearrested and charged in July 2011.

Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said during the trial that the inquest had 'excluded the likelihood' of a serious infection and found that injuries to the airways were consistent with an 'application of force'.

On July 12, 2011, Dunford was therefore rearrested and Ms Howes said she told officers: 'I have been waiting for this to happen.'

Dunford, 33, was arrested in February 2004 and interview by police then and again in May

Dunford, 33, was arrested in February 2004 and interview by police then and again in May

During his sentencing Judge Brown told the court he took into account Dunford's 'childlike manner' and the 'long delay' in bringing the trial to court.

However he said courts have a duty to 'protect little people like Lucy from violence'.

Speaking afterwards, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sloan, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: 'There was a thorough police investigation at the time but the forensic evidence then did not support a prosecution.

'The death of Lucy was immediately treated as suspicious by Sussex Police. Her mother was arrested and interviewed and there was a thorough investigation.

'However, based on the information available at the time, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision was that there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.

'The CPS decision turned largely on reports from two pathologists, which were conflicting.'

Simon Ringrose, of the CPS, said: 'This was a difficult and complex case that involved evidence from a number of medical experts.

'The reinvestigation into the circumstances of Lucy Dunford's death included obtaining further medical evidence.

'This evidence effectively ruled out a natural cause of death and was consistent with Lucy having been suffocated.

'The only person who could have done this was her mother, Lesley Dunford.'

After the sentencing Wayne Dunford declined to comment.