BABY C was born in secrecy at his parents' Thornbank East, Bolton flat on August 21 2016 and died four days later from dehydration.

His mother, 26-year-old Catherine Davies, later told police that she had unsuccessfully tried to breastfeed him and when he died he had been put into a shoebox

A trial at Manchester Crown Court heard how she and her partner, Anthony Clark, disposed of the body, burying him under cover of darkness, at Heaton Cemetery.

But Davies mentioned the birth to her mother, whose carer subsequently informed the police who began an investigation despite the couple's initial denials that she had been pregnant.

READ MORE: Nothing could have prevented shoebox baby's death, report concludes

Davies and Clark had a toxic relationship, marked by domestic violence and Clark's controlling behaviour.

And when they moved into their Bolton flat they became increasingly isolated, refusing to come out of their home when visitors called.

During the trial Davies claimed Clark had not wanted the baby and would not buy anything for the child.

"He said he could only provide for me or the baby — one or the other," she said.

Davies said Clark refused to buy baby formula, but they were seen on CCTV shopping after the birth, buying food and alcohol for themselves but nothing for the child.

The jury was told how a diary belonging to Catherine Davies was found in the flat and in it she stated ‘pregnancy is pissing me right off’.

She also said in entries that she ‘don’t want hospital’, ‘don’t want head full on’ that it was ‘easier to dispose of’ and that ‘it was less complicated and less people involved’.

A police search of the cemetery eventually found the baby's decomposed body in the shoebox which had been sealed with Sellotape.

He was not wearing clothing or a nappy but had been wrapped in a blanket.

Davies and Clark were were jailed for 15 months for concealing the birth.