Tony Hudgell was just 41 days old when doctors discovered horrifying injuries to his legs, left ankle and left thumb.

Doctors told the court the Maidstone boy was grey, frothing at the mouth and grunting.

They described his body as ‘shockingly swollen’ and he was suffering from multiple organ failure.

READ MORE: Double amputee’s ‘dream comes true’ meeting football hero Mason Mount and rest of Chelsea squad

It was only ‘aggressive’ medical treatment which saved his life, after the infant developed severe septicaemia.

Tony, now seven years-old, had to have his legs amputated in 2017 as a result of the abuse suffered at the hands of his birth parents.

Jody Simpson, 24, and Tony Smith, 46, had denied causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child.

However, both were unanimously found guilty after less than one hour of deliberations by the jury.

They were also convicted of child cruelty in relation to their delay in seeking medical help as their son deteriorated.

Experts concluded his injuries would not have been caused by normal handling or accidentally but by yanking, pulling and twisting, and with considerable force.

The court heard we was left untreated and in agony for 10 days.

Simpson and Smith denied hurting their son, with the latter describing himself as being ‘over the moon’ to be a father.

But in court she claimed he ‘didn’t know his own strength’ and could be rough and heavy-handed when handling Tony.

She said she twice warned him to be more gentle when he gripped the baby too tight, raised him from the floor by his wrists, and lifted his legs by his ankles only to ‘drop them down fast’.

Simpson admitted however she never saw Smith harm their baby, and denied inflicting the injuries herself.

But she wept during cross-examination by prosecutor Heather Stangoe when she agreed she ‘took a risk’ with her child’s safety and failed her ‘most important and principal’ job to protect him.

Both were sentenced to 10 years in prison for their crimes.

Despite his horrific start in life and facing on-going medical treatment and disability, little Tony is thriving with a new family.

The seven-year-old had his ‘dreams come true’ when he got to meet his hero Mason Mount and the resat of the Chelsea squad in August.

Tony’s Law

His horrifying case led to the campaign for Tony’s Law, which will increase the maximum prison sentences for child abusers.

Changes to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will see the maximum sentence for causing or allowing the death of a child upped from 14 years to life.

Cruelty will also be increased to 14 years, along with causing or allowing serious physical harm.

In welcoming the changes Tony’s adoptive mother Paula Hudgell said that more had to be done to protect vulnerable children and the planned tougher sentences are for “Tony and all the babies and children that suffered or lost their lives at the hands of their abusers”.

“We are delighted that Tony’s Law is being backed by the Government.

“It’s been our hope since those who abused our son were jailed in 2018 that more could be done to protect other children, the most vulnerable members of our society.

“I can’t thank the public enough for the support they have shown through this nearly four-year campaign, but especially thanks to Tom Tugendhat who has worked tirelessly with me, also my friend Julia Roberts, a court reporter and my friends and family. It was definitely a team effort.”

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said the changes were needed needed because “the law must provide maximum protection to the most vulnerable and no-one is more vulnerable than a young child”.

He added: “I pay tribute to the courage of young Tony Hudgell and his adoptive parents, Paula and Mark.”

Article Source: Kent Live