Baby murder: Michael Davis of Leicester guilty of killing five-week-old son Ollie who suffered broken neck and 23 broken ribs

The family of a baby who was murdered by his father at the age of five weeks say his death left a "void in their hearts"

Michael Davis faces a mandatory life sentence after being found guilty of murdering his tiny son Ollie. The baby died from a broken neck, having also suffered 23 broken ribs. Davis, 29, was also found guilty of two counts of causing grievous bodily harm and was remanded in custody facing a mandatory life sentence.

Ollie's wider family have today paid tribute to him. They said: “Ollie, you came into our world on 21 September 2017. You melted our hearts with those big blue eyes. Our little ray of sunshine. We have been left with such a void in our hearts. Ollie, life has never been the same. You will always be with us our sweet boy. Until we meet again our little one. Catch all the love and kisses we send up to you. Your loving broken-hearted family.”

A jury at Leicester Crown Court was told Ollie was pronounced dead after being found lifeless in his bedroom in 2017, having sustained fractures to his skull, collar bone, both arms and the joints of all his limbs.

Jurors cleared Ollie’s mother, Kayleigh Driver, of murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent, but found her guilty of charges of causing or allowing the death of a child and causing or allowing serious physical injury.

Trial judge Mr Justice Cotter renewed Driver’s conditional bail following the verdicts and ordered that the 29-year-old, who appeared in court on a mobility scooter, should be sentenced alongside Davis on April 10.

Join the thousands of people who’ve signed up for a National World newsletter The two-month trial heard Ollie was found at his home in Temple Walk, Leicester, after his “neck was snapped between four and eight days prior to his death”.