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| Man guilty of 1982 child murder | Man guilty of 1982 child murder |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man has been found guilty of murdering his former partner's daughter nearly 25 years ago. | A man has been found guilty of murdering his former partner's daughter nearly 25 years ago. |
| Nicholas Byard, 46, of The Common, Barwell, Leicestershire, had denied murder and claimed three-year-old Lisa Jayne Pegg died in a fall in 1982. | Nicholas Byard, 46, of The Common, Barwell, Leicestershire, had denied murder and claimed three-year-old Lisa Jayne Pegg died in a fall in 1982. |
| He was living with the child's mother, Julie Pegg, in Burbage, near Hinckley, when the child suffered her injuries. | He was living with the child's mother, Julie Pegg, in Burbage, near Hinckley, when the child suffered her injuries. |
| New medical advice was given to police after the case was reopened in 2002. Byard will be sentenced on Thursday. | |
| Members of Byard's family broke down in tears in the public gallery as the jury returned the verdict. | Members of Byard's family broke down in tears in the public gallery as the jury returned the verdict. |
| The 46-year-old had told the court the child suffered fatal internal injuries by falling down the stairs at the couple's home in Banky Meadow, Burbage. | The 46-year-old had told the court the child suffered fatal internal injuries by falling down the stairs at the couple's home in Banky Meadow, Burbage. |
| Lisa Jayne Pegg died from severe abdominal injuries | Lisa Jayne Pegg died from severe abdominal injuries |
| But the prosecution alleged they were inflicted by him. | But the prosecution alleged they were inflicted by him. |
| Byard, a mechanic, told the court: "I saw her with her face on the landing and with her legs up on the stairs at the bottom of the stairwell. | Byard, a mechanic, told the court: "I saw her with her face on the landing and with her legs up on the stairs at the bottom of the stairwell. |
| "She was just lying there and, as I picked her up, she started crying. | "She was just lying there and, as I picked her up, she started crying. |
| "Lisa had a graze on her forehead and nose and a red mark on her stomach." | "Lisa had a graze on her forehead and nose and a red mark on her stomach." |
| The little girl died later in hospital. | The little girl died later in hospital. |
| Lack of evidence | Lack of evidence |
| Peter Joyce QC, prosecuting, told the court the evidence was "consistent with assault". | Peter Joyce QC, prosecuting, told the court the evidence was "consistent with assault". |
| Police investigated her death but the case was not pursued after the Attorney General deemed there was a lack of evidence. | Police investigated her death but the case was not pursued after the Attorney General deemed there was a lack of evidence. |
| But it was left on file after the coroner in her inquest recorded an open verdict. | But it was left on file after the coroner in her inquest recorded an open verdict. |
| In 2002, the child's father, soldier Alan Pegg, asked police to reopen the probe into his daughter's death. | In 2002, the child's father, soldier Alan Pegg, asked police to reopen the probe into his daughter's death. |
| A review and fresh advice from medical experts suggested the toddler's injuries were too severe to have been suffered in a fall. | A review and fresh advice from medical experts suggested the toddler's injuries were too severe to have been suffered in a fall. |
| Assault convictions | Assault convictions |
| After the verdict was returned, the court heard that Byard had a number of previous convictions for assault. | After the verdict was returned, the court heard that Byard had a number of previous convictions for assault. |
| He had also been given a caution for an assault on Lisa in September 1981 after Mr Pegg complained to police. | He had also been given a caution for an assault on Lisa in September 1981 after Mr Pegg complained to police. |
| Byard said he had smacked her on the bottom after Lisa had sworn and refused to go to sleep, despite repeated requests from her mother. | Byard said he had smacked her on the bottom after Lisa had sworn and refused to go to sleep, despite repeated requests from her mother. |
| The court heard the couple stayed together after Lisa's death and had two children together. | The court heard the couple stayed together after Lisa's death and had two children together. |