A NEWBORN baby boy's tiny body was almost completely shattered after suffering 44 fractures.

Tiny Thierry Jordan Skelly was subjected to the torment at the hands of one of his teenage parents at their home, where drink and drugs were part of life.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Thierry suffered horrific multiple injuries for at least three weeks either by his mother Annamarie Procter or his father Richard Skelly - but both claimed they were not responsible and neither did anything about it.

The infant - no more than 20 inches long - had 44 fractures to his ribs, arms and legs, and was also cut and bruised when later seen by medics. Doctors concluded the baby's injuries were caused by squeezing, violent handling, flinging him about or direct blows - and believed cracks may even have been heard when Thierry's ribs were broken.

The tot had been rescued from his life of misery - and possibly death - by two concerned local shop assistants who alerted health workers after seeing the ailing child. Police were then called in. Today, Procter, who has since had another child, and Skelly were each starting jail terms of three years as a judge said in 40 years he had never come across such a young child with so many broken

bones. Judge Raymond Bennett said it was one of the most horrific cases of child abuse a court would come across and Thierry could have died.

He went on: "I am quite satisfied each of you knew Thierry was being ill treated and subjected to repeated and dreadful injuries.

"Neither of you did a thing to help your son."

The judge added that, thankfully. the child would not remember the horrendous things done to him and was now thriving well.

Procter, 20, now of Prestwich Street, Burnley, and Skelly, also 20, of Surrey Road, Blackburn, admitted wilful neglect between February 10 and March 4, last year.

At the time they had been living in Waterfoot.

Fiorella Brereton, prosecuting, said health visitors had initially called on the defendants and everything appeared fine.

However, the baby was not examined physically after January 23, because either the child and one or both of his parents was not in or because he was said to be asleep and the defendants did not want to wake him.

Health visitors had no complaints or concerns about the infants but tried to encourage Thierry's parents to take him to the baby clinic to have him weighed.

He was never taken by either parent nor seen by a doctor.

The day before police and social services became involved, Thierry's maternal grandmother had urged the defendants to take their son to the doctor because he had a swollen limb. He was never taken to see the GP.

Defending Procter, Tim Ashmole said she expressed remorse. She had had a difficult upbringing and when she was younger suffered rejection, loneliness and lack of affection.

Her second child had been immediately taken into care. The court proccedings had helped the defendant mature but it was a pity that couldn't have happened two or three years ago.

Procter wanted to lead a normal life, go to college and get a job.

For Skelly, Michael Lavery said the offence was not pre-planned nor deliberate and the defendant had no conception of the potential consequences of what was happening. Skelly's remorse was very real and in the last 12 months he had spent a lot of time thinking about what happened.

Mr Lavery said any member of the public hearing the case would consider custody was inevitable and the defendant would have no complaint about that.

He believed he deserved it. The public would no doubt agree.

The barrister added Skelly was now alcohol and drug free and went on: "There is no doubt drink played a role in that house, as did the taking of cannabis."