HANNAH COBLEY FROM STANTON FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING NEWBORN AT LEICESTERSHIRE FARM

In a deeply disturbing case that has shocked the community of Stanton and the surrounding areas, Hannah Cobley has been convicted of the murder of her newborn baby. The tragic events unfolded in April 2017, when Cobley, then 29 years old, gave birth to her child in secret, concealing her pregnancy from her family for eight months. The baby was born at her home in Stanton, and the circumstances surrounding her death have been the subject of intense investigation and court proceedings.

According to court records, Cobley initially denied any involvement in her infant’s death, claiming that the baby was stillborn and that her injuries resulted from falling into a toilet. However, evidence presented during the trial painted a different picture. It was revealed that Cobley had forcibly silenced her crying newborn by forcing an object down her throat, an act that contributed to the child's suffering and eventual death. The court heard how she then attacked the fragile infant, fracturing her skull in three separate places, before wrapping her in plastic bags and abandoning her in an overgrown area on her parents’ farm in Leicestershire.

The location of the disposal was in the vicinity of her family’s farm, where the baby was left to die. Tests confirmed that it took approximately two hours for the infant to succumb to her injuries and the environment where she was dumped. The court was shown evidence of Cobley's phone searches, which included queries such as “signs of stillbirth,” “how long a baby can survive without being fed,” and “what happens when a newborn baby is dropped.” These searches raised suspicions about her intentions and state of mind at the time.

Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC scrutinized Cobley about these searches, questioning her on why she looked up such topics. Cobley was unable to provide a clear explanation. During cross-examination, Mr. Hankin asked her why she searched for “What can dropping a newborn baby do?” before she had given birth, to which she responded, “I can’t explain that.” The prosecutor further questioned her about her intentions, suggesting that her searches indicated she might have been planning harm to her baby. Cobley denied any such plans, asserting she had no intention of hurting her child.

In her defense, Cobley claimed that her injuries and the baby’s death were the result of a stillbirth and an accidental fall into a toilet. However, expert testimony from Professor Safa Al-Sarraj, a renowned neuropathologist, strongly contradicted her account. The professor described the injuries as among the most severe he had ever seen in a newborn, and his analysis indicated that the injuries were consistent with shaking and violent handling, rather than a fall. When questioned about the nature of the injuries, Professor Al-Sarraj confirmed that the pattern of trauma was indicative of a mechanism involving shaking and swinging the baby’s head against a solid surface.

After deliberating for two hours, the jury at Leicester Crown Court returned a guilty verdict. Hannah Cobley now faces a mandatory life sentence, which will be determined at her sentencing hearing scheduled for the following day. During the trial, it was revealed that Cobley had become pregnant following a one-night stand with an unidentified man who was unaware of her pregnancy. The court also learned that this was not her first experience of giving birth under similar circumstances; she had previously given birth to another baby in a toilet, a child referred to in court as Child A due to a court order.

When questioned about her feelings towards Child A, Cobley admitted that it took her some time to bond with the child but insisted that her relationship with him had grown stronger over time. She expressed love for Child A, despite her earlier actions.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Jon Blockley commented on the case, describing it as “extremely sad and tragic,” emphasizing that the death involved a baby girl born prematurely at 32 weeks. He criticized Cobley for not seeking help from her family or professionals, which might have prevented the tragedy. Instead, her decision to conceal her pregnancy and take such drastic actions resulted in the loss of her infant’s life, a decision that has left the community and all involved in mourning.