A HEARTBROKEN mother of spoken of the devastation caused by her daughter's brutal murder at the hands of her partner.

Adam Jackson launched an explosive and violent attack on two-year-old Grace Thorpe after she had been left in his care.

The 27-year-old inflicted a catalogue of injuries on the defenceless young girl, leaving her with a fractured skull, broken jaw, broken leg, and severe internal injuries in November last year.

Fighting back tears her mother, Alice Quine, read out her victim impact statement as her daughter's murdered kept his head bowed while sitting in the dock.

She said: "My life hasn’t been the same since the day I lost Grace and it never will be again. I lost everything in that moment.

"Grace’s sister is not the same child she was before this happened. She adored Grace and done everything for her, they had the most amazing bond and love for each other.

"My Grace was the happiest little girl who never wanted for anything, she was always content and smiling, her laugh was infectious.

"There were so many things Grace loved to watch, to play with and to do; she always enjoyed playing outside and down the beach, she loved to splash. All these things I will never see Grace do again. I will never see her grow up, I will never see any more birthdays, her first day at school, first car, first anything anymore.

"Grace’s memory will never be lost, it will always be kept alive and she will always be spoken about. Every birthday will be celebrated, every anniversary we will remember, every Christmas an empty chair will always be at the table because we know she will be there with us.

"Grace loved and trusted Adam Jackson and he abused that in every way possible. I trusted him with my whole world and he took it away from me in a split second.

"No matter what sentence is given it will never match up to the sentence me and my family will face for the rest of our lives.

"We will never be able to see or touch Grace again and that’s the most heartbreaking thought there is to bear."

Jackson, of Dale Street, New Marske, pleaded guilty to her murder this morning at Teesside Crown Court.

He was jailed for life and told he will serve a minimum of 15 years and 166 days.

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