A young mother has been jailed for eight years following an "horrific" campaign of cruelty against her two-month-old son, who died hours after the final assault.
Jailed: Claire Biggs. Her lover Paul Husband did nothing to help the baby
In a case with similarities to the Baby "P" case, former crack addict Claire Biggs, 27, dodged a string of checks by health worker as she attacked baby Rhys.
One of her children had already been deemed "at risk" and taken into care.
Against a backdrop of missed opportunities by health agencies and a breakdown in information sharing, she was able to repeatedly crush the helpless child's chest with impunity, fracturing 17 ribs.
As her convicted child sex abuser lover stood by and did nothing, she went on to break her son Rhys' right wrist twice as well as his shoulder.
Medical experts told Inner London Crown Court "severe" force would have had to have been used each time causing "extreme pain".
Biggs admitted that her helpless son - whose blood-spattered clothes were found throughout their one-bedroom flat - once spent eight hours screaming in agony.
Not once did her live-in lover, Paul Husband, 33 - who will be sentenced at a later date - do anything to stop her or help the tiny baby, the court heard.
During his short life Rhys came under the care of two London councils, Newham and Camden.
Apart from the mistakes made by the authorities, Biggs dodged a number of pre-arranged appointments.
When one did finally take place, a health visitor described Rhys as "active and alert", while a senior paediatric physiotherapist who checked his club foot noted no "abnormal marks".
Because the cause of his death could not be established, the pair, of Newham, east London, were charged only with child cruelty - a legal "loophole" that the NSPCC says the Government should change.
Biggs, who has since had two other children - also in care - claimed her lover was the culprit and branded him a "murderer". He denied responsibility.
Both were convicted - Biggs on the basis of "wilful assault" and injuring her son; Husband under a "wilful neglect" alternative for ignoring Rhys' obvious pain and failing to get him medical help.
Judge Lindsay Burn told a loudly sobbing Biggs: "You have been described as an inexperienced and inadequate parent with significant psychiatric issues.
"You have also claimed to have been subject to pressures from your then partner, the co-defendant."
But the judge said he was satisfied she was "fully in control of yourself and responsible for your actions at all material times".
Another article said that Biggs has had two more children since Rhys died.
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