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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Father jailed for murdering baby | Father jailed for murdering baby |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man has been jailed for life for murdering his five-week-old son. | A man has been jailed for life for murdering his five-week-old son. |
| Brian Saunders, 31, of Quarry Street, Torpoint, Cornwall, had denied killing Rilee in March 2008 but was found guilty at Exeter Crown Court. | Brian Saunders, 31, of Quarry Street, Torpoint, Cornwall, had denied killing Rilee in March 2008 but was found guilty at Exeter Crown Court. |
| Prosecutors said that Rilee's injuries, which included a skull fracture and brain damage, were similar to those suffered in a car crash. | Prosecutors said that Rilee's injuries, which included a skull fracture and brain damage, were similar to those suffered in a car crash. |
| Saunders must serve at least 18 years before being eligible for parole, the judge decided. | Saunders must serve at least 18 years before being eligible for parole, the judge decided. |
| The degree of violence you used was horrifying and you didn't care how seriously he was injured Mr Justice Burnett | The degree of violence you used was horrifying and you didn't care how seriously he was injured Mr Justice Burnett |
| Jurors heard that on 3 March police and paramedics were called to the block of flats where Rilee's 19-year-old mother Alicia Clark lived with Brian Saunders. | Jurors heard that on 3 March police and paramedics were called to the block of flats where Rilee's 19-year-old mother Alicia Clark lived with Brian Saunders. |
| Rilee was taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and was later transferred to Bristol Royal Children's Hospital where he died on 7 March. | Rilee was taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and was later transferred to Bristol Royal Children's Hospital where he died on 7 March. |
| Doctors discovered that as well as suffering a fractured skull and brain damage caused by shaking, the baby also had a fractured knee, caused by "gripping or twisting" with such force that the cartilage was "sheared off". | Doctors discovered that as well as suffering a fractured skull and brain damage caused by shaking, the baby also had a fractured knee, caused by "gripping or twisting" with such force that the cartilage was "sheared off". |
| Saunders claimed that he had accidentally banged Rilee's head against a kitchen cupboard during an early morning feed. | Saunders claimed that he had accidentally banged Rilee's head against a kitchen cupboard during an early morning feed. |
| Alicia Clark said five-week-old Rilee had got justice | |
| But the court heard that in 2005 Saunders was convicted of child cruelty against his daughter from a previous relationship. | But the court heard that in 2005 Saunders was convicted of child cruelty against his daughter from a previous relationship. |
| She suffered a head injury when she was eight-weeks-old. | She suffered a head injury when she was eight-weeks-old. |
| Sentencing him for Rilee's murder, Mr Justice Burnett said: "You present a grave danger to any child of your own or of a woman with whom you are living. | Sentencing him for Rilee's murder, Mr Justice Burnett said: "You present a grave danger to any child of your own or of a woman with whom you are living. |
| "Rilee was a good baby and there was no evidence that when you inflicted those injuries he was crying or was being noisy." | "Rilee was a good baby and there was no evidence that when you inflicted those injuries he was crying or was being noisy." |
| The judge said that Saunders, who worked as a DJ, had an "underlying resentment" towards Rilee because his girlfriend's attention was focused on the baby instead of him. | The judge said that Saunders, who worked as a DJ, had an "underlying resentment" towards Rilee because his girlfriend's attention was focused on the baby instead of him. |
| "The degree of violence you used was horrifying and you were indifferent to the consequences of your actions and didn't care how seriously he was injured," he added. | "The degree of violence you used was horrifying and you were indifferent to the consequences of your actions and didn't care how seriously he was injured," he added. |