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Man who murdered his adopted baby daughter jailed for 18 years

Matthew Scully-Hicks was yesterday convicted of murdering his 18-month-old daughter Elsie, just two weeks after formally adopting her.

Matthew Scully-Hicks, pictured at Cardiff Crown Court in February of this year PA Archive / PA Images PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images

A MAN CONVICTED of murdering his 18-month-old adopted baby daughter in Wales has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.

31-year-old Matthew Scully-Hicks had yesterday been unanimously convicted of murdering his daughter Elsie Scully-Hicks at their Cardiff home in May 2016, just two weeks after adopting her with his husband.

The trial had previously heard how Scully-Hicks told a 999 call operator on 25 May 2016 that he had been changing Elisa’s nappy and found her “limp and floppy” on the floor.

She was rushed to hospital but died four days later due to her injuries.

A medical examination showed that she had suffered injuries to her brain and eyes, which was considered to be consistent with being gripped and violently shaken.

The judge in the case, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, described the killing today as ‘a gross abuse of trust’.

She said that the murder occurred between meal time and bed time, a time when Elsie was known to cry, according to The Guardian.

“It was Elsie’s behaviour, your frustration with it which turned to anger, which led you to inflict the serious injuries which swiftly led to her collapse,” the judge said.

The force which you used in gripping Elsie was sufficient to cause the fractures of the ribs, the shaking sufficient to cause severe brain and eye injury.
In deliberately inflicting serious injuries upon your 18-month-old adoptive daughter you abused the trust which had been placed in you as Elsie’s adoptive father. It was a gross abuse of that trust.

A child practice review is now under way, according to the BBC, to determine whether or not Matthew Scully-Hicks’ predisposition towards violent behaviour could have been identified after an earlier injury was inflicted in November 2015, which meant that child protection measures were not triggered by his efforts to adopt.

Read: A Welsh politician who was facing allegations over his conduct with women has been found dead

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    Mute Peter Gavin
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:14 PM

    And they advertise it in the newspaper because that’s where all the best digital talent looks for work. #clueless

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    Mute Jack Ripper
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:16 PM

    LOL. Good point.

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    Mute Eileen Roche
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:54 PM

    They will be looking for the best liar in Ireland.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:08 PM

    “A team player” …Omerta vital, forked tongue essential;- ?
    Is that what that means

    46
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    Mute andrew
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:42 PM

    Should drop over to the Israeli Embassy. Past masters.

    32
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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:19 PM

    I thought Seanie Ryan was there social media officer

    55
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    Mute Martin Malone
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:25 PM

    All these parties already have a social media presence. Does this mean all the parties media trolls are getting proper jobs???

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:38 PM

    It means Angela and co. are afraid of their she-ite that Independents will anhialate the network that they have nurtured in this Country for years – that’s what it means !

    26
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    Mute Robespierre
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:16 PM

    To be fair to the political parties, they adopt public sector standards for recruitment and that includes adds in the national press. There is every chance an applicant could be hired by referral.

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    Mute Jack Ripper
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:05 PM

    They should get Glen. He is an experienced shill =P

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    Mute Donal Costello
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:08 PM

    I’m beginning to think that Gen might be Gizmo….

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:35 PM

    Seanie Ryan will be pissed off ….maybe he knows that he was used now – like the rest of us …ah well vengeance is always Paddy’s favourite game !

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    Mute Boganity
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    Aug 15th 2014, 3:29 PM

    And they did it in the print media…that means they’ll be ready for government in about ten years or so.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:43 PM

    Fianna Fail the Party that gave us Mark Killilea who came back boasting from Europe that he had secured c.6 billion and who a few years later gave 64 billion back ; who would ever vote for them again except a crooked eejit ?
    Party over Mechole ! – Party over !

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    Mute BeeGee
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:13 PM

    I’ll bet that the phone in that picture isn’t even switched on

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    Mute Mr Phil Officer
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:32 PM

    Job requirements: honest hardworking decent upstanding people do not apply.

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    Mute thetruth
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:26 PM

    Nindividual? Last paragraph of their ad

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    Mute Peter Gavin
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:56 PM

    Guess they also need a copywriter!

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    Mute Reg
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:57 PM

    Roll up the modern version of Frank Dunlop or PJ Mara!

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    Mute James Gorman
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    Aug 15th 2014, 1:24 PM

    Paddy Power would give them a lesson

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    Mute Karen Twomey
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    Aug 15th 2014, 3:26 PM

    I suppose we’ll have Mehole tweeting about rubber duckies soon so

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    Mute Stephen
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:28 PM

    Sure they had most of the newspapers working for them at one stage

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    Mute Paddy Hannigan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:54 PM

    Newspapers in decline because the public figured out that most of what was printed was controled by the parties. Now they are going to try the same online. Lets see how that works out for them. Expect ‘intresting’ new posters on The Journal ect.

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    Mute Jay J Murphy
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    Aug 15th 2014, 2:29 PM

    Fianna do fak all

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    Mute Mindfulirish
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    Aug 15th 2014, 4:21 PM

    Will the person be paid in cash?

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    Mute cillian32
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    Aug 15th 2014, 4:58 PM

    Yes mindfulirish… Brown envelopes stuffed with cash!!!

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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 3:55 PM

    Planning an innovative Facebook tax scheme no doubt!

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    Mute Paddy Hannigan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 5:18 PM

    Social Media allowence for TD’s on the way.

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Aug 15th 2014, 3:47 PM

    In 2014 Irish politics is finally realising the prevalence of the internet and that maybe just maybe the public respond better to Twitter Q&A’s than a grinning eejit on a lampost poster? 10 years behind as always but better late than never.

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    Mute Derek Richardson
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    Aug 15th 2014, 4:51 PM

    Haaha look at your man ringing up the bookies to put another bet on

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    Mute E=MC2
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    Aug 15th 2014, 10:02 PM

    Prior to trekking out to vote in the recent local elections I visited the web sites of each party and independent candidate in the constituency. None of the sites had clearly spelled-out and costed policies, the focus was on aspirations and populist messages with the Greens and SF being the biggest offenders. But Fine Gael did have some short videos that were better and more professional than the other parties. That they had made the effort to properly inform the internet generation was the factor which persuaded me to give FG my number 1.
    I look forward to seeing what FF produce.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Aug 15th 2014, 11:05 PM

    You based your vote on a video produced by this government with all the resources they have – what a spiffing idea !

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    Mute Michael Farrelly
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    Aug 16th 2014, 3:55 PM

    You did what ?

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    Mute E=MC2
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    Aug 17th 2014, 7:13 AM

    Yes, it was, thanks for agreeing. I had little choice as up to the night before polling I had not managed to interview any knowledgeable canvassers from any party. It was visit the web sites or pick a name from a hat.

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    Mute R Neuville
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    Aug 17th 2014, 1:13 PM

    Independents Day:
    Political Parties are just private clubs who pass Pro-Lobby Laws not Pro-Citizen laws. FF/ Greens annual Car Tax Law case in point. A most blatantly regressive “Pro-Lobby” law that makes those who can’t afford new cars subsidise the wealthy who can. €951 per annum road tax for a 10 yr old car while a new equivalent is just €280. Ireland a disgusting place to live. Social Media is a powerful force to enlighten voters (not just for Tunisia, Libya and Egypt!) and ensure they bring their brains to the Polling Booths and put an end to these private “lobby” clubs.

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