Aberdeen baby killer Mark Simpson to seek case review

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A man convicted of murdering a baby in Aberdeen is set to take his bid to clear his name to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Mark Simpson, 30, denied murdering his then-girlfriend's daughter Alexis Matheson by assaulting her in 2007.

A jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict at the High Court in Aberdeen last year and Simpson was jailed for a minimum of 20 years.

Three judges earlier refused further leave to appeal.

Simpson's lawyer John McLeod told BBC Scotland that his client was "disappointed" at the refusal and he was now proceeding to an application to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The seven-week murder trial began on 12 October.

The Crown had urged the jury to convict Simpson for his "wicked recklessness".

However, the defence argued there was no sufficient corroborating evidence to say he even assaulted the baby.

'Pain and agony'

Simpson denied murdering Alexis by assaulting her between 18 November and 9 December 2007.

The charge stated he seized hold of her, shook her and compressed her chest, leaving her so severely injured that she died.

Judge Lord Uist had told Simpson: "The pain and agony which baby Alexis must have suffered as a result of the injuries which you inflicted upon her are unthinkable."

He called for a fatal accident inquiry after the jury's verdict, due to medical care concerns he had, and the Crown Office then said an FAI would be held.

And in February it was announced a review into the case would be headed up by Howard Llewellyn, the chief officer of Tayside community justice authority.