The parents of twin baby boys who suffered horrific physical abuse weeks after their premature birth have had appeals against jail sentences for neglecting their babies rejected.
The abuse was discovered when the parents took their babies to hospital in April 2012. They feared one had meningitis.
Doctors discovered the baby had suffered 26 fractures -- 13 to his arms and legs, 11 to his ribs, one to his collarbone and a linear skull fracture, which had caused a brain injury. The rib fractures had caused swelling and fluid to build up, and the boy also had 13 bruises to his arms, legs, chest and nostril, and some of the bruises were several centimetres long.
Following the findings, the boy's twin brother was also examined and found to have suffered five fractures to his arms and legs, six fractures to his ribs and a bruise on his leg and arm.
The abuse is believed to have occurred when the babies, who were born four weeks' early, were aged between eight and 10 weeks old. But police were unable to identify who inflicted the injuries.