The father of a baby girl who died after suffering multiple broken bones and a brain haemorrhage has been remanded in prison accused of her murder.

Thomas Holford’s daughter, Everleigh Stroud, was just five weeks old when she was found to have sustained injuries at her home in Ramsgate in April 2021.

A court today heard these included “widespread cranial haemorrhages, spinal, leg and rib fractures”.

Holford was initially arrested on suspicion of assault and Everleigh was taken to the QEQM Hospital in Margate.

She was later transferred to St Thomas’ in London, where she spent more than a year in a “vegetative state” until her death on May 27, 2022.

Detectives carried out extensive enquiries into the circumstances in which Everleigh sustained her injuries, and on Wednesday this week charged Holford with her murder.

The 24-year-old, of Pedlars Close, Danbury, Essex, appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court yesterday and was remanded in custody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court this morning.

Prosecutor Emilie Morrison told the court Holford was charged with the murder of his baby daughter, who had been born on March 13, 2021.

“She died on May 27, 2022, after a year of what is said to have been in a vegetative state,” she said.

“She suffered very serious injuries, including widespread cranial haemorrhages, spinal, leg and rib fractures.”

The prosecutor told the court the cause of Everleigh’s death was old and severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy – when the brain does not get enough oxygen or blood – and a bleed on the brain known as a subdural haematoma.

Holford’s defence barrister James McCrindell, made an application for bail, which Ms Morrison opposed on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Judge Julian Smith remanded Holford in custody until he could obtain a medical report on the state of his mental health, but told him he would be able to apply for bail at another hearing at the same court on Thursday, July 25.

He also told Holford a trial date has been set at Canterbury Crown Court for January 13 next year, but before that, he would appear for a preliminary hearing at the same court on August 15.