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| Toddler's murderer jailed for minimum of 17 years | Toddler's murderer jailed for minimum of 17 years |
| (5 months later) | |
| A man was jailed for a minimum of 17 years on Friday after being found guilty of the murder of a two-year-old boy. | A man was jailed for a minimum of 17 years on Friday after being found guilty of the murder of a two-year-old boy. |
| Rio Smedley suffered 91 separate injuries and died from a ruptured liver on 22 April, Manchester crown court heard. | Rio Smedley suffered 91 separate injuries and died from a ruptured liver on 22 April, Manchester crown court heard. |
| Daniel Rigby, 23, from Wigan, was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend's son by a jury of six men and six women. He was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum term of 17 years before he can be considered for parole. | Daniel Rigby, 23, from Wigan, was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend's son by a jury of six men and six women. He was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum term of 17 years before he can be considered for parole. |
| Mr Justice David MacKay said Rigby had abused his position of trust. | Mr Justice David MacKay said Rigby had abused his position of trust. |
| "It's a chilling, terrible picture. He was a vulnerable boy." | "It's a chilling, terrible picture. He was a vulnerable boy." |
| MacKay said he did not think Rigby intended to kill Rio but had a "sudden loss of temper" and "set about him, inflicting the fatal blow". He said that Rio "suffered considerably before he died". | MacKay said he did not think Rigby intended to kill Rio but had a "sudden loss of temper" and "set about him, inflicting the fatal blow". He said that Rio "suffered considerably before he died". |
| Rio's mother, Kirsty Smedley, 24, formerly of Bolton, was found guilty of allowing or causing the death of a child. | Rio's mother, Kirsty Smedley, 24, formerly of Bolton, was found guilty of allowing or causing the death of a child. |
| The prosecution said she failed to protect her son from Rigby, a man she had previously reported to police for violently attacking her while she was pregnant. | The prosecution said she failed to protect her son from Rigby, a man she had previously reported to police for violently attacking her while she was pregnant. |
| Her sentencing was adjourned to a date yet to be fixed and she was remanded in custody. The jury took four hours and 30 minutes to reach the two unanimous guilty verdicts. | Her sentencing was adjourned to a date yet to be fixed and she was remanded in custody. The jury took four hours and 30 minutes to reach the two unanimous guilty verdicts. |
| As the guilty verdict was read out, there were gasps from the public gallery and some of Rigby's relatives left the court in tears. | As the guilty verdict was read out, there were gasps from the public gallery and some of Rigby's relatives left the court in tears. |
| Rigby, dressed in a grey suit, shirt and tie, put his head in his hands as the verdict was given. | Rigby, dressed in a grey suit, shirt and tie, put his head in his hands as the verdict was given. |
| Smedley, dressed all in black and with her dark hair tied back, appeared to be struggling to hold back tears when the jury announced her guilty verdict. | Smedley, dressed all in black and with her dark hair tied back, appeared to be struggling to hold back tears when the jury announced her guilty verdict. |
| Mr Justice MacKay told her: "I want you to understand that you stand in very real peril of a prison sentence as a result of this conviction. Don't have any delusions about it." | Mr Justice MacKay told her: "I want you to understand that you stand in very real peril of a prison sentence as a result of this conviction. Don't have any delusions about it." |
| After the trial, Detective Constable Pam Chandler read a statement on behalf of Rio's family. | After the trial, Detective Constable Pam Chandler read a statement on behalf of Rio's family. |
| "Today we have got justice for our beautiful son, grandson, brother and nephew Rio," the statement said. | "Today we have got justice for our beautiful son, grandson, brother and nephew Rio," the statement said. |
| "We have to live every day without Rio and for the rest of our lives we will never see him grow into a lovely young man. | "We have to live every day without Rio and for the rest of our lives we will never see him grow into a lovely young man. |
| "No matter how long that monster gets, he will still have a life. | "No matter how long that monster gets, he will still have a life. |
| "We wish we could say that we could start to rebuild our lives, but the hard work is just beginning. | "We wish we could say that we could start to rebuild our lives, but the hard work is just beginning. |
| "I don't like the word hate, but I truly hate that monster for taking our cheeky monkey Rio away from us." | "I don't like the word hate, but I truly hate that monster for taking our cheeky monkey Rio away from us." |
| Earlier, the nine-day trial had heard that Rigby "lost his rag" with Rio. | Earlier, the nine-day trial had heard that Rigby "lost his rag" with Rio. |
| Rigby denied ever hurting the toddler and tried to place the blame for some of his injuries on Smedley. | Rigby denied ever hurting the toddler and tried to place the blame for some of his injuries on Smedley. |
| The prosecution counsel accused Rigby of "trading in lies" and said he did not care about the little boy or what happened to him. | The prosecution counsel accused Rigby of "trading in lies" and said he did not care about the little boy or what happened to him. |
| Mr Phillips said that at around 4.30pm on April 22 this year a neighbour heard a "thud" from the Cheriton Drive house. | Mr Phillips said that at around 4.30pm on April 22 this year a neighbour heard a "thud" from the Cheriton Drive house. |
| Mr Phillips asked: "Was that noise of you striking Rio with such force as to split his liver in two?" | Mr Phillips asked: "Was that noise of you striking Rio with such force as to split his liver in two?" |
| Rigby replied: "Never." | Rigby replied: "Never." |
| Mr Phillips said a pathologist had given evidence to the jury to say that Rio's ruptured liver could not have been caused by a fall down the stairs - which Rigby claimed - but more likely by punches, kicks and stamping. | Mr Phillips said a pathologist had given evidence to the jury to say that Rio's ruptured liver could not have been caused by a fall down the stairs - which Rigby claimed - but more likely by punches, kicks and stamping. |
| Rigby could not explain where the 91 injuries found on Rio's body had come from and denied "losing his rag" with the toddler because he was having to look after him instead of going to his sister's house to smoke cannabis and because Smedley had failed to get him some money from her grandparents. | Rigby could not explain where the 91 injuries found on Rio's body had come from and denied "losing his rag" with the toddler because he was having to look after him instead of going to his sister's house to smoke cannabis and because Smedley had failed to get him some money from her grandparents. |
| The prosecution said Rio's fatal injury was the "culmination of a course of ill-treatment and violent conduct towards the child". | The prosecution said Rio's fatal injury was the "culmination of a course of ill-treatment and violent conduct towards the child". |
| Detective Chief Inspector Phil Reade said: "This is a shocking case in which an innocent and defenceless little boy has suffered appalling injuries at the hands of someone who had been trusted to look after him. | Detective Chief Inspector Phil Reade said: "This is a shocking case in which an innocent and defenceless little boy has suffered appalling injuries at the hands of someone who had been trusted to look after him. |
| "Rigby has today been put behind bars for a long time for his actions, but this will go little way to ease the suffering of Rio's family, who have lost their beloved little boy under such tragic circumstances." | "Rigby has today been put behind bars for a long time for his actions, but this will go little way to ease the suffering of Rio's family, who have lost their beloved little boy under such tragic circumstances." |
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