Baby killer Michael Davis asked for charity donations

By Caroline Lowbridge

BBC News, East Midlands

A father who murdered his baby son by breaking his neck asked for donations to a child bereavement charity while he was trying to cover his tracks.

Michael Davis, who was given a life sentence for murder on Wednesday, asked for donations for his birthday and said that the charity “means a lot to me”.

Davis killed his son Ollie in Leicester in October 2017 but was not convicted until March 2024.

The investigation, described by police as “complex”, took six years.

Davis and the baby’s mother – who was found guilty of two criminal charges herself – were on bail while they were investigated by police.

This meant they were free to post messages on social media about the death of their son, and proclaim their love for each other.

Davis’s request for donations was to Sands, a national charity supporting people affected by the death of a baby, and was posted on his Facebook page in 2021.

Sands’ chief executive Clea Harmer said: “We are horrified at the appalling crime committed by Michael Davis, who murdered his baby son Ollie.

“We are angry and upset to learn that he then cynically appealed for donations to Sands, apparently in an attempt to paint a sympathetic picture of himself. Our investigations have confirmed that no donations were made through this channel.

“The news reports around the sentencing are deeply distressing, especially for anyone who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss, and we are here to provide comfort and support to anyone who needs this.”

Ricky Driver, Ollie’s maternal grandfather, said in a statement: “As a family we have been dragged through hell for nearly seven years, with all the lies and deceit.

“Ollie will be forever in our broken hearts, and his memory will forever live on.”

Ollie was only a month old when he died at his home in the Beaumont Leys area of Leicester.

The prosecution’s case was that he died on the night of 20-21 October 2017 from the delayed results of a broken neck inflicted several days earlier.

He had multiple other injuries, including brain injuries and 40 bone fractures.

Both of his parents were arrested by police on 27 October 2017, following a post-mortem examination which revealed Ollie’s injuries.

However, they repeatedly denied knowing what had happened to Ollie.

• If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line

In a police interview in 2017, Davis was told about multiple injuries his son had suffered.

Police asked him: “What do you think of that?”

He replied: “I don’t know. Obviously I’m not sure obviously how it’s happened really.”

Police also asked Driver in 2017: “Have you ever seen him [Davis] loose his temper with Ollie?”

Police then asked her: “Have you ever lost your temper with Ollie?”

Davis and Driver both made public declarations of love following their arrests.

In December 2017, two months after Davis killed their son, Kayleigh Driver wrote on Facebook: “Happy 1 year and 4 months to my man I love u with all my heart and I wouldn’t change u for the world I love you.”

In the same month, she wrote: “im so in love with my man cant wait to marry him next year i love you Michael James Davis.”

Davis replied to her, writing: “Awh same baby and I love you too.”

In a New Year’s Eve post at the end of 2017 Driver wrote about how it had been a “very happy but tought [SIC] year”.

“Mine and Michael James Davis lost our baby boy as he grew his angel wings on 21st october but we will never forget him,” she wrote.

In another post she was trying to make money by selling baby clothes. She wrote: “Does anyone know of anyone having a baby boy as we have draws [SIC] full of boys stuff and we wanna raise money towards Ollie’s send off.”

In August 2021, Davis posted a tribute to his partner, writing: “Just wanna say Happy 5th anniversary we’ve been through so much in the past 5 years but we’re still going strong, don’t think I would of got through all this without you, I love you so much and can’t wait for everything to be sorted so we can then begin to build the rest of our future, don’t really have many friends but I’ve got you and that’s all that matters.”

Meanwhile, police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) were building their case against the couple.

They found medical experts who provided evidence showing Ollie had suffered a succession of injuries inflicted on multiple occasions.

The CPS said one particularly significant injury was a broken rib, which was not fatal, but was inflicted only hours before Ollie died or around the same time.

The prosecution’s case was that it could only have been Davis who had caused this injury.

Driver claimed she was asleep when Ollie was in Davis’s care and had no knowledge of any assaults.

However, the prosecution argued it would have been impossible to be unaware of the assaults and Ollie’s subsequent injury and distress.

Both parents were charged with murder, with the alternative charge of causing or allowing the death of a child.

Davis was found guilty of murder, while Driver was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, and also causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical injury.

Davis was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years, while Driver was jailed for seven years.

Andrew Baxter, deputy chief crown prosecutor from the CPS, said: “Rather than face up to their actions, both parents lied repeatedly about events, and have left it to a jury to determine the horrifying way they treated Ollie.

“Ollie’s death at such a young age came as a devastating shock to his extended family. Our thoughts and sympathies are with them.”

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

Related Topics