Shocking! Wicked Foster Mother Brutally Shakes Toddler to Death (Photo)

A heartless foster mother who shook a baby so terrible that he suffered brain damage and died has surprised people by grinning while being sentenced.

 Wendy Hardy grinning after she the sentencing

 

A smiling foster mum has been jailed for more than six years after shaking a 23-month-old baby to death and blowing £27,000 of ill-gotten child care fees on a holiday and car, Dailymail reports.

 

The report reveals that Wendy Hardy, 46, assaulted Harry Aspley just months after taking him into her home in December 2012. Because the little baby struggled to eat without vomiting,  she lost her temper and shook him so violently he suffered massive brain injuries.

 

Hardy then dumped him back in his crib at her home in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire, only calling an ambulance when her husband David returned from work two hours later.

 

When the baby was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary, he died of his injuries five days later. The heartless woman was yesterday jailed for six-and-a-half years after admitting manslaughter and fraud.

 

She was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter when she appeared at Leicester Crown Court in November.

 

She shocked people at her appearance in court by grinning outside the court room. 

 

Sentencing her at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, Judge Jeremy Baker said: 'Harry was a very vulnerable child.

'As an experienced foster parent you would have known all too well the risks of treating him in the manner you did.

 

'Knowing you had seriously injured Harry, you failed to seek prompt medical help.

 

'After such attention was given to him, you lied about the circumstances of his injuries.'

 

The court heard Hardy and her husband David, 36, had fostered children from five years from their £300,000 four-bedroom detached home.

 

Before and during their time with Harry, the couple had been incorrectly receiving money for fostering two other children no longer in their care.

 

They spent £27,460 of that money on a new car and a holiday to Turkey.

 

Mr Hardy earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of converting criminal property. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison, suspended for two years.

 

The couple were also charged with cruelty due to neglect as Harry lost more than a quarter of his body weight during the three months in their care.

 

Those charges were ordered to lie on file and could be proceeded with in the future.

 

Nick Lumley, defending Mrs Hardy, said the incident had been the result of a 'perfect storm' of issues. He added that the couple had lacked help from social services in caring for Harry, who had suspected autism and was losing his muscle control, in the months they were caring for him.

 

He said: 'This was as far removed from a conscious and deliberate killing as might possibly be imagined.'

 

Helen Johnson, defending Mr Hardy, told the judge her client was the sole carer for two young children.