Ramsgate Dad's Life Sentence Upped for Shaking Baby to Death
Everleigh Stroud’s Horrific Injuries
Thomas Holford, the Ramsgate dad who shook his five-week-old daughter Everleigh Stroud “like a ragdoll,” has had his life sentence increased. Originally sentenced to life with a 16-year minimum term, an appeals court has now added two more years.
The brutal assault in April 2021 left baby Everleigh with catastrophic brain damage, broken ribs and legs, anal injuries, and severe bruising. She remained in a vegetative state for over a year before life support was finally withdrawn in May 2022.
Drug Intoxication Made the Attack Worse
The Court of Appeal slammed Holford’s actions as “despicable,” highlighting his heavy cannabis intoxication during the incident. Barristers revealed he deliberately got high, knowing he would be the sole carer for Everleigh that night.
Lord Justice Edis said: “He was aware that if he took substantial quantities of cannabis, his ability to control himself may suffer. He nevertheless deliberately did that, knowing that in the night to come, he was to be the sole carer for his five-week-old daughter.As matters turned out, he was therefore taking risks with her life that he had no right to take. That is a significant aggravating factor.”
Neglect and Tragedy on a Fateful Night
During the trial, it emerged Holford was a long-term drug addict who initially cared for his daughter with confidence. But on that tragic night, Everleigh’s mother, Casey, returned to find the baby struggling to breathe and Holford asleep.
A frantic 999 call described Everleigh as barely conscious, swollen-eyed, cold, and “in agony.” Shockingly, Holford remained calm and even asked police officers about which games he should download on his phone.
Legal Battle Over Sentence Length
Jocelyn Ledward KC, representing the Solicitor General, argued the original 16-year minimum term was too lenient given Holford’s “voluntary and excessive” cannabis use. She stressed this was an aggravating factor that demanded a harsher penalty.
However, Joanna Martin KC, defending Holford, claimed the sentence was fair and not “unduly lenient.”
Lord Justice Edis sided with the prosecution, branding Everleigh “as vulnerable as any human person could be” and condemning Holford’s “grievous” assault.
“Everleigh’s mother bitterly regrets her decision to leave the child in the offender’s care that night and blames herself for what happened. In truth, the decision was a perfectly normal, rational one. It was tragic and has caused her to feel responsible in some way for her daughter’s death.”
