Gay Partner Convicted Of Murder- Throw Baby Against The Hard Floor

The act of brutality and callousness is disturbing, poor baby rest in peace.....Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, shook baby Elsie Scully-Hicks before she was 'thrown against a hard floor' while he was looking after her at his home in Llandaff, Cardiff, on May 25 2016

A gay father who murdered his adopted 18-month-old daughter was visited by social services 15 times but they still raised no concerns - despite finding out she had broken her leg and had 'fallen down the stairs'.

Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, subjected little Elsie Scully-Hicks to months of horrific assaults and was heard shouting 'shut the f*** up' at her in his home in Llandaff, Cardiff.

The toddler suffered a string of suspicious injuries before Scully-Hicks eventually killed her just two weeks after she was formally adopted by the fitness instructor and his husband Craig, 36.

Scully-Hicks also shook the toddler while he was looking after her and threw her against a hard floor.

Social workers paid at least more than a dozen visits to the couple's home from January 2015 and the pair had to undergo months of training, assessment and meetings.

Adoption officials have now launched an investigation after Scully-Hicks was convicted of murdering Elsie.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Scully-Hicks branded her 'a psycho', 'the exorcist' and 'Satan dressed up in a Babygro' in text messages.

Scully-Hicks, who sobbed when he was convicted, denied murdering her but was today found guilty by a jury after a four week trial. 

The court heard that on January 2015 the couple were visited by a adoption manager after expressing a desire to become fathers.

Between the meeting and her death, social workers visited their home 15 times and the toddler suffered bruises, had broken her leg and had fallen down the stairs at the house.

Social services in the Vale of Glamorgan now face a formal investigation over whether they missed chances to save Elsie.