ROSS WALMSLEY AND DEMI GRAY FROM WASHINGTON ESCAPE JAIL AFTER CHILD'S 31 INJURIES
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Washington Sexual Abuser
In November 2016, a tragic case emerged involving a two-year-old child who sustained an alarming total of 31 separate injuries while in the care of a couple from Washington. Despite the severity and number of injuries, both individuals, Ross Walmsley and Demi Gray, managed to walk free from court because the evidence was insufficient to determine who was responsible for inflicting the harm.
According to court reports, the young child was found to have suffered multiple injuries, including two fractures to the hand, along with extensive bruising and marks across the head, arms, trunk, buttocks, and legs. These injuries were discovered when the child was taken to an emergency care centre in Washington, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the harm.
During the court proceedings at Newcastle Crown Court, both Walmsley, aged 21 and residing on Heworth Road, Concord, Washington, and Gray, aged 20 and from Coach Road Estate, Washington, entered pleas of guilty to charges of child cruelty. However, they both maintained that they did not cause the injuries themselves. The prosecution acknowledged that the injuries were severe and multiple but emphasized that there was no concrete evidence to establish which of the two was responsible for causing them.
Prosecutor Julie Clemitson explained to the court, “They each submitted a basis of plea saying they were not responsible for the injuries. The Crown cannot say who did.” She further described the injuries as obvious and severe, including significant bruising to the child's face, which raised concerns about the nature of the harm inflicted.
Medical investigations concluded that the injuries were unlikely to have been accidental, and the court was told that the injuries could not be definitively linked to either Walmsley or Gray. In his plea, Walmsley admitted to “rough and abusive treatment” of the child, acknowledging some form of harm but denying direct responsibility for the injuries.
In sentencing, Recorder Euan Duff stated, “The Crown accept and I am bound to sentence you on the basis neither of you has been proved to have caused those injuries. How anyone can treat a child of two in that way or allow a child to be treated in that way by someone else is quite beyond those of us who care for children.”
Ross Walmsley received a sentence of 21 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, along with requirements for rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work. Demi Gray was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, also suspended for two years, with similar rehabilitation requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.
Defence solicitor Annelise Haugstad described Walmsley as an “immature man” who has since sought professional help for his issues. Meanwhile, Gray admitted to failing in her duty to protect the child from harm, but both individuals walked free, highlighting the difficulties in establishing responsibility in such complex cases.
According to court reports, the young child was found to have suffered multiple injuries, including two fractures to the hand, along with extensive bruising and marks across the head, arms, trunk, buttocks, and legs. These injuries were discovered when the child was taken to an emergency care centre in Washington, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the harm.
During the court proceedings at Newcastle Crown Court, both Walmsley, aged 21 and residing on Heworth Road, Concord, Washington, and Gray, aged 20 and from Coach Road Estate, Washington, entered pleas of guilty to charges of child cruelty. However, they both maintained that they did not cause the injuries themselves. The prosecution acknowledged that the injuries were severe and multiple but emphasized that there was no concrete evidence to establish which of the two was responsible for causing them.
Prosecutor Julie Clemitson explained to the court, “They each submitted a basis of plea saying they were not responsible for the injuries. The Crown cannot say who did.” She further described the injuries as obvious and severe, including significant bruising to the child's face, which raised concerns about the nature of the harm inflicted.
Medical investigations concluded that the injuries were unlikely to have been accidental, and the court was told that the injuries could not be definitively linked to either Walmsley or Gray. In his plea, Walmsley admitted to “rough and abusive treatment” of the child, acknowledging some form of harm but denying direct responsibility for the injuries.
In sentencing, Recorder Euan Duff stated, “The Crown accept and I am bound to sentence you on the basis neither of you has been proved to have caused those injuries. How anyone can treat a child of two in that way or allow a child to be treated in that way by someone else is quite beyond those of us who care for children.”
Ross Walmsley received a sentence of 21 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, along with requirements for rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work. Demi Gray was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, also suspended for two years, with similar rehabilitation requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.
Defence solicitor Annelise Haugstad described Walmsley as an “immature man” who has since sought professional help for his issues. Meanwhile, Gray admitted to failing in her duty to protect the child from harm, but both individuals walked free, highlighting the difficulties in establishing responsibility in such complex cases.