In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that Roxanne Davis (30) and her former partner Samuel Davies (24) were each jailed for 10 years for causing or allowing the death of a three-week-old baby. Stanley Davis died in hospital on 28 March 2017 after suffering a fractured skull and a brain haemorrhage at a flat in Garland Court, Gosport. It was reported that the infant—who was just 24 days old—had also sustained 32 rib fractures and nine fractures to his arms and legs on at least three separate occasions prior to his death.
The investigation established that both Davis and Davies were “equally culpable” for the “brutal” injuries inflicted upon the newborn. Winchester Crown Court heard that the baby had been squeezed so hard his ribs touched his spine and may have been swung or thrown. Hampshire Constabulary reported that both defendants tested positive for cocaine and cannabis following their arrests, with the prosecution noting they had “colluded” to conceal Stanley’s injuries and deceive medical professionals.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the couple engaged in frequent, drug-fuelled domestic arguments in the days following Stanley’s birth. Winchester Crown Court heard that on 15 March 2017, Davies took a photograph of a news article about a mother attempting to hide her baby’s death, while Davis posted a Facebook video of the infant having a fit just one day before he was hospitalised. The investigation established that despite the “truly shocking” nature of the 41 fractures found on the child’s body, both defendants denied responsibility, with Davis shouting that Davies had “murdered” her baby as she was led from the dock.
Judge Jane Miller QC presided over the sentencing on 7 December 2018, describing Davis as a “dominant partner” who treated her son as a “fashion accessory.” For their actions in Gosport, both were handed maximum ten-year terms. The judge noted that the pair’s hot tempers and irresponsible drug use created a lethal environment for the infant, and she commissioned an independent review via the Hampshire Safeguarding Children Board to examine how professionals failed to intervene before Stanley’s death.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Hampshire, the status of the offenders as of April 4, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Both served 10-year terms; released on licence circa 2023/2024).
- Supervision Status: Subject to strict post-release licence monitoring.
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Causing or allowing the death of a child; 1 count each).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Winchester Crown Court; investigated by Hampshire Constabulary.
- Criminal Record: Fatal fractured skull; 41 previous fractures; Cocaine and cannabis use during parenthood.
- Origin: Lee Road, Gosport (Davis); Mayfield Road, Southampton (Davies), Hampshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Davis and Davies are managed as high-risk violent offenders within the Hampshire and Southampton areas following their release. Due to the nature of their conduct—which involved the systematic physical abuse and eventual death of a 24-day-old infant—their management is a maximum priority for the local MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) teams. Authorities state that their history of “colluding to deceive” doctors indicates a sophisticated level of manipulation that requires intrusive supervision.
As convicted child killers, their details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that their licence conditions include total bans on contact with each other and strict restrictions on any contact with children. Any reports of drug use, any unauthorized proximity to minors, or any breach of their notification requirements in Gosport or Southampton will result in an immediate return to prison to ensure the safety of the public and to maintain the gravity of the sentence served for the death of Stanley Davis.
QUESTION – Given that the court was “unable to be sure” which individual actually struck the fatal blow, do you believe that the law should be changed to allow a “Joint Enterprise Murder” charge for any parent who fails to protect their child from a lethal assault?
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