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| Child-killer father gets 21 years | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A man who murdered his four-year-old son and tried to kill his teenage daughter has been jailed for life and told he must serve 21 years. | |
| Christopher Hawkins, 47, of Royd Street, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, stabbed son Ryan to death last September, Leeds Crown Court heard. | Christopher Hawkins, 47, of Royd Street, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, stabbed son Ryan to death last September, Leeds Crown Court heard. |
| He was also convicted of attempting to murder his daughter Donna, 14. | He was also convicted of attempting to murder his daughter Donna, 14. |
| Hawkins attacked the children as a form of revenge after his marriage broke down and his wife started an affair. | |
| After the attack, Hawkins, who was covered in blood, had a pint in a pub and said he had stabbed his children. | After the attack, Hawkins, who was covered in blood, had a pint in a pub and said he had stabbed his children. |
| He didn't think about Ryan or Donna, he only thought about getting back at her Simon Myerson QC , prosecuting | He didn't think about Ryan or Donna, he only thought about getting back at her Simon Myerson QC , prosecuting |
| It took the jury less than three hours to reach its verdict. | It took the jury less than three hours to reach its verdict. |
| During the eight-day trial, sheet metal worker Hawkins claimed he had been insane and had no recollection of what he had done. | During the eight-day trial, sheet metal worker Hawkins claimed he had been insane and had no recollection of what he had done. |
| He said: "It wasn't me that day. It was like some evil inside me. | He said: "It wasn't me that day. It was like some evil inside me. |
| "I must have been insane. If I was sane that day, Ryan would be here now and my daughter would not have those horrific scars." | "I must have been insane. If I was sane that day, Ryan would be here now and my daughter would not have those horrific scars." |
| Donna was stabbed 13 times but survived. | Donna was stabbed 13 times but survived. |
| Donna Hawkins survived being stabbed 13 times | Donna Hawkins survived being stabbed 13 times |
| The children were attacked after Donna went to collect her brother from their father's house, where he had been living since splitting with their mother Valerie Gee. | The children were attacked after Donna went to collect her brother from their father's house, where he had been living since splitting with their mother Valerie Gee. |
| In court, the teenager said as she tried to leave the house, her father had apologised before stabbing her. | In court, the teenager said as she tried to leave the house, her father had apologised before stabbing her. |
| The girl told police: "He [Hawkins] said I'm going to kill Ryan now." | The girl told police: "He [Hawkins] said I'm going to kill Ryan now." |
| Ryan died after two of the nine stab wounds penetrated his heart. His sister was left with a deflated lung and stab wounds to her liver. | Ryan died after two of the nine stab wounds penetrated his heart. His sister was left with a deflated lung and stab wounds to her liver. |
| The court heard that Hawkins wrote a series of notes, which mentioned his anger at finding out his wife of 17 years was having an affair and and one which stated he would kill his son. | The court heard that Hawkins wrote a series of notes, which mentioned his anger at finding out his wife of 17 years was having an affair and and one which stated he would kill his son. |
| Despite admitting the notes were in his handwriting, he said he did not remember writing them. | Despite admitting the notes were in his handwriting, he said he did not remember writing them. |
| Simon Myerson QC, prosecuting, said: "He didn't think about Ryan or Donna, he only thought about getting back at her." | Simon Myerson QC, prosecuting, said: "He didn't think about Ryan or Donna, he only thought about getting back at her." |
| In the run-up to the murder Hawkins had been drinking up to 20 pints a day to get over his break-up, the court heard. | In the run-up to the murder Hawkins had been drinking up to 20 pints a day to get over his break-up, the court heard. |