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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Uncle gets life for Casey murder | Uncle gets life for Casey murder |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A man has been jailed for life after admitting the rape and murder of his two-year-old niece in Leeds. | |
| Casey Leigh Mullen died at her home in Oak Tree Crescent, Gipton, on 11 February. Post-mortem tests showed she had died from compression of the neck. | Casey Leigh Mullen died at her home in Oak Tree Crescent, Gipton, on 11 February. Post-mortem tests showed she had died from compression of the neck. |
| Michael Patrick Mullen, 21, of Lawrence Road, Gipton, was told he would serve a minimum of 35 years in jail at Leeds Crown Court on Monday. | |
| He was capable of "lethal sexual crimes against children", a judge said. | |
| 'Appalling crimes' | |
| Describing Mullen as "a very dangerous man", Mr Justice Simon said the 21-year-old had arrived at Oak Tree Crescent with his brother after an afternoon of drinking. | |
| He said: "At some stage you went upstairs alone and you entered the bedroom of Casey Leigh Mullen. | |
| Neighbours said Casey Mullen was known as "Smiley" | |
| "There you raped and then killed her. | |
| "Those bare outlines are dreadful enough, but what is particularly horrifying about this crime is that she was your niece and she was a child of two years and two months. | |
| "The strong likelihood is that you covered her face with your hand while you were raping her. | |
| "You then strangled her with a ligature which you applied to her neck for not less than 30 seconds. | |
| "The rape and murder of this little girl by someone she trusted and loved were appalling crimes." | |
| The judge said Mullen was two and a half times over the legal limit for driving and the time and accepted this would have disinhibited him to some extent. | |
| He added: "You are a very dangerous man who is capable of lethal, violent, sexual crimes against children and you will continue to be so for the foreseeable future." | |
| Screaming hysterically | |
| Neighbour and family friend Sarah Pringle, 22, had earlier described how she went to the house after hearing a commotion. | Neighbour and family friend Sarah Pringle, 22, had earlier described how she went to the house after hearing a commotion. |
| She found Casey Leigh's mother, Samantha Canham, 21, screaming hysterically and discovered the little girl covered in blood. | She found Casey Leigh's mother, Samantha Canham, 21, screaming hysterically and discovered the little girl covered in blood. |
| Police and paramedics arrived and the child was brought out of the house as neighbours looked on. | Police and paramedics arrived and the child was brought out of the house as neighbours looked on. |
| The incident sent shockwaves through the community, with flowers and teddy bears left outside the three-bedroom house paying tribute to the "little angel". | The incident sent shockwaves through the community, with flowers and teddy bears left outside the three-bedroom house paying tribute to the "little angel". |
| Casey lived at the house with her mother Samantha, father David Mullen, 20, and her brother, aged three. | Casey lived at the house with her mother Samantha, father David Mullen, 20, and her brother, aged three. |