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Jailed mother Lesley Dunford given 13 years for baby murder Jailed mother Lesley Dunford given 13 years for baby murder
(about 2 hours later)
A jailed mother is to serve at least 13 years in prison for murdering her baby son, six months before she killed her three-year-old daughter. A mother already serving a jail term for killing her daughter has been jailed for murdering her baby son, after confessing to the crime in jail.
Harley Dunford was found dead in his cot at their East Sussex home in 2003, the Old Bailey heard.Harley Dunford was found dead in his cot at their East Sussex home in 2003, the Old Bailey heard.
Lesley Dunford, 37, formerly of Windermere Close, Exeter, pleaded guilty to his murder in March after changing her plea twice.Lesley Dunford, 37, formerly of Windermere Close, Exeter, pleaded guilty to his murder in March after changing her plea twice.
She was jailed for seven years in 2012 for killing her daughter Lucy in 2004. She was jailed for seven years in 2012 for killing Lucy, aged three, in 2004.
Dunford admitted in jail to murdering seven-month-old Harley at the house in Camber, on 27 August 2003. Dunford was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 13 years, for murdering seven-month-old Harley at the house in Camber, on 27 August 2003, six months before Lucy's death.
In her confession she wrote: "Something clicked in me... I pushed his face into the mattress until he stopped breathing." In her confession she wrote: "Something clicked in my head and I went back into the room walked over to his cot and pushed his face into the mattress until he stopped breathing.
Jailing Dunford for life with a minimum term of 13 years, Mr Justice Baker said: "The reality is, had you not confessed to killing Harley whilst in custody, it is highly likely there would not have been a police investigation into his death and you would not have faced prosecution for murder." "And then I put his head to the side and noticed there was blood and foam coming out of his nose. That's when I knew I had hurt him and I don't know why I had done it."
Jailing Dunford, Mr Justice Baker said: "The reality is, had you not confessed to killing Harley whilst in custody, it is highly likely there would not have been a police investigation into his death and you would not have faced prosecution for murder."
Husband 'forgives her'Husband 'forgives her'
No inquest was held into Harley's death at the time as he was believed to have died from natural causes.No inquest was held into Harley's death at the time as he was believed to have died from natural causes.
In a statement following the sentencing, Dunford's husband Wayne said he "forgives her".In a statement following the sentencing, Dunford's husband Wayne said he "forgives her".
The jury in the 2012 trial into the killing of Lucy was told Dunford had epilepsy but had not been diagnosed with any psychiatric or autistic problems. But he said: "This has been a very difficult time for myself. Lesley lied to me about what had happened with the children.
"She was very good at this and I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to family and friends for this deceit that lasted for a decade.
"I am truly sorry."
The jury in the 2012 trial into the killing of Lucy was told Dunford had epilepsy but had not been diagnosed with psychiatric or autistic problems.
After she was convicted of the three-year-old's manslaughter, Sussex Police said Harley's death was fully investigated at the time and there were no plans to re-open the case.After she was convicted of the three-year-old's manslaughter, Sussex Police said Harley's death was fully investigated at the time and there were no plans to re-open the case.
Detectives started a new investigation into how the seven-month-old boy died in June 2014 after she wrote a confession in prison. Detectives started a new investigation into how the seven-month-old boy died in June 2014 after Dunford wrote the confession in prison.
'Terrible crime'
Sussex Police said specialists in paediatric pathology and forensic pathology reviewed Harley's death and concluded that the evidence, alongside Dunford's verbal and written confessions, was "consistent with suffocation".
Det Ch Insp Wendy Burton described the killings as a "tragic case" which had left the family of the two dead children "stricken by terrible heartache".
"Justice has now been done and our sympathies are with little Harley and Lucy."
Senior Crown Prosecutor Libby Clark said Dunford showed "no remorse" by keeping "her silence over Harvey's death" for more than a decade.
"Lesley Dunford has lied for many years about what happened to her son, before finally confessing the truth to prison staff in 2014.
"This was a terrible crime - her confession clearly stated that she deliberately suffocated her son whilst he was face down in his cot."