A man has been jailed for life for beating a two-year-old girl to death

A man has been jailed for life for beating a two-year-old girl to death while her mother was in New York celebrating her 21st birthday.

Ben Raftery, 21, "forcibly and repeatedly punched" Roxie Jo-Anne Archer in March 2012 while looking after her in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Manchester Crown Court heard Raftery's girlfriend Sophie Archer had been taken to the US as a surprise by her father.

Raftery was told he would serve a minimum of 18 years in prison.

During his trial the jury heard Raftery, who was not the child's father, dialled 999 at 00:30 GMT to say he had left a stair gate open and that Roxie had fallen down the stairs.

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18 years is too lenient. That little one won't see her 18th birthday.

shocking he will prob be out on parole in no time

fry the bastard ..