A monster who murdered his partner’s two-year-old daughter after kicking and stamping her to death has today been jailed for life.
Grace Thorpe suffered a broken jaw, a broken leg, a bleed on her brain, and bruising to her face and body after she was attacked in her high chair.
Adam Jackson, 27, had launched into a “spontaneous eruption” of violence against the toddler, who called him “Daddy”.
He was looking after Grace alone in New Marske, Cleveland, when he hit her at least seven times.
The friend then left stricken Grace seriously injured before finally calling paramedics.
The tot was rushed to hospital but couldn’t be saved and died two days later from her injuries.
Shockingly, tests after her tragic death revealed she had been exposed to regular contact with cocaine and cannabis.
Grace was also seen with bruises on her body and face in the weeks leading up to her murder.
Jackson, 27, has now been jailed for at least 16-and-a-half years after admitting murder at Teesside Crown Court today.
The court was told Jackson had been in a relationship with Grace’s mum Alice Quine for around a year when the horror unfolded.
He was known to be bad-tempered if he didn’t have money for cannabis and Alice had previously left Jackson before they reunited.
On the day of Grace’s murder, Alice left for work with Jackson put in sole charge of caring for the toddler.
Police later scrambled to the home following reports of an injured child found Grace cold and wearing only a nappy.
Jackson claimed she had fallen from a high chair but tests carried out after her death found she had breathed blood out on the tray.
This showed she was attacked while still trapped in the high chair, the court was told.
In a powerful statement, her mum Alice Quine told how she “lost everything” when her daughter was murdered.
‘I TRUSTED HIM’
She said: “My life hasn’t been the same since the day I lost Grace and it never will be again.
“Grace’s sister is not the same child she was before this happened. She adored Grace and done everything for her, they had the most amazing bond and love for each other.
“Grace’s memory will never be lost, it will always be kept alive and she will always be spoken about.
“We will never be able to see or touch Grace again and that’s the most heartbreaking thought there is to bear.”
Alice also slammed her former partner as she paid tribute to Grace, who she described as the “happiest little girl” with an “infectious” laugh.
She added: “I will never see her grow up, I will never see any more birthdays, her first day at school, first car, first anything any more.
“Every birthday will be celebrated, every anniversary we will remember, every Christmas an empty chair will always be at the table because we know she will be there with us.
“Grace loved and trusted Adam Jackson and he abused that in every way possible.
“I trusted him with my whole world and he took it away from me in a split second.
“No matter what sentence is given it will never match up to the sentence me and my family will face for the rest of our lives.”