Colin Kendrick

Tears of relief as man is cleared of shaking child to death

CLEARED: Colin Kendrick

A RELIEVED man walked free from court after being cleared of murdering his step-daughter.

Colin Kendrick, 31, was accused of losing his temper and violently assaulting 19-month-old Aimee Collins within just 15-minutes of her mother Sarah-Jane Collins leaving the home they shared in Eden Green, South Ockendon.

At Basildon Crown Court today the jury, along with Kendrick and Aimee's family, broke down and wept as the verdict was read out.

Judge Philip Clegg thanked the jury for their efforts during the five week trial and told them: "This has been an extremely difficult case. I have been in law for 40-years and I have seldom come across a case as difficult as this one. I know perfectly well it has been a great strain on you and I know the great care and attention you have paid to this case."

Kendrick maintained his innocence since his arrest in December 2005 and told how he dialled 999 and attempted to revive Aimee after he found her lying unconscious in her cot.

Doctors at Basildon Hospital fought for seven hours to save the child but her life support machine was turned off when she was confirmed brain dead.

Andrew Scott, junior defence barrister, spoke on behalf of the family and said: "There are no winners today. There is no celebration. At the heart of this case is the death of a child Aimee Collins who was loved and cherished by the whole family and her step father.



"There is always a great danger that out in the wings is another danger and that is a conviction of an innocent person but Mr Kendrick and all his family would like to thank the jury for their patience and their hard work in making their way through what was complex medical evidence. Nobody knows what the future holds for the family but they will need some time to gather their thoughts after today's verdict but what everybody can be certain of is that every day they will remember that beautiful little girl of theirs."

Kendrick said he felt "shattered" and was relieved to be going home and spending Valentines day with his partner Sarah-Jane, 22, whom he had been banned from seeing since his arrest up until the restriction was lifted during the trial.

The child's great-grandmother Dolores Collins praised the defence legal team, which included Bill Baches, the solicitor who defended Angela Cannings, the mother wrongly accused of killing her two children.

Mrs Collins added: "The whole family stuck together. We knew he was innocent from the start. We knew he loved the children and he would never hurt them."


6:54pm today