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| Liam Fee: Mother and partner guilty of murdering two-year-old boy | Liam Fee: Mother and partner guilty of murdering two-year-old boy |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Mother Rachel Fee and her partner Nyomi have been found guilty of murdering Rachel's two-year-old son Liam in Fife. | Mother Rachel Fee and her partner Nyomi have been found guilty of murdering Rachel's two-year-old son Liam in Fife. |
| The couple were convicted of assaulting and killing the young child at his home in Thornton in March 2014. They had blamed another boy for the murder. | The couple were convicted of assaulting and killing the young child at his home in Thornton in March 2014. They had blamed another boy for the murder. |
| They were also convicted of a catalogue of abuse against two other children. | They were also convicted of a catalogue of abuse against two other children. |
| The jury returned a majority verdict after a seven-week trial at the High Court in Livingston. The couple are due to be sentenced on 6 July. | The jury returned a majority verdict after a seven-week trial at the High Court in Livingston. The couple are due to be sentenced on 6 July. |
| The jury found that Rachel and Nyomi Fee had subjected the toddler to an escalating pattern of cruelty during his short life. | The jury found that Rachel and Nyomi Fee had subjected the toddler to an escalating pattern of cruelty during his short life. |
| The couple, originally from Ryton, Tyne and Wear, remained impassive as the jury found them guilty of all the charges against them. | The couple, originally from Ryton, Tyne and Wear, remained impassive as the jury found them guilty of all the charges against them. |
| Liam Fee's father, Joseph Johnson, was in tears at the verdict and had to be consoled by friends. | Liam Fee's father, Joseph Johnson, was in tears at the verdict and had to be consoled by friends. |
| The jury were excused from duty for 10 years. | The jury were excused from duty for 10 years. |
| In the days before his death, Liam suffered a broken leg and arm. He was killed by a blow to his abdomen which was so severe that it ruptured his heart. | In the days before his death, Liam suffered a broken leg and arm. He was killed by a blow to his abdomen which was so severe that it ruptured his heart. |
| In total, he was found to have more than 30 injuries. | In total, he was found to have more than 30 injuries. |
| The couple had blamed another boy for Liam's death. However, during several interviews with specially-trained officers and a social worker, it became clear that the boy had not strangled or suffocated Liam. | The couple had blamed another boy for Liam's death. However, during several interviews with specially-trained officers and a social worker, it became clear that the boy had not strangled or suffocated Liam. |
| He had put his hand over the toddler's mouth several days before his death but Liam had been walking and talking afterwards. | He had put his hand over the toddler's mouth several days before his death but Liam had been walking and talking afterwards. |
| Makeshift cage | Makeshift cage |
| But the jury found Nyomi and Rachel to be jointly responsible for Liam's murder. | But the jury found Nyomi and Rachel to be jointly responsible for Liam's murder. |
| In addition, they subjected two other boys to a series of physical and psychological abuse over two years - including forcing one to sleep in a makeshift cage and another to sleep in a room with rats and snakes which they said "ate little boys". | In addition, they subjected two other boys to a series of physical and psychological abuse over two years - including forcing one to sleep in a makeshift cage and another to sleep in a room with rats and snakes which they said "ate little boys". |
| Social services had been alerted to the Fees but had failed to take any action. | Social services had been alerted to the Fees but had failed to take any action. |
| His nursery had alerted social services, worried by a change in Liam, and the fact that he was losing weight and had a number of injuries. | His nursery had alerted social services, worried by a change in Liam, and the fact that he was losing weight and had a number of injuries. |
| Liam's childminder had also made her concerns known. | Liam's childminder had also made her concerns known. |
| A senior Fife social worker admitted to the court that at one point Liam "fell off their radar". | A senior Fife social worker admitted to the court that at one point Liam "fell off their radar". |
| Fife Child Protection Committee is to carry out a significant case review. | Fife Child Protection Committee is to carry out a significant case review. |
| Elaine Torrance, the president of Social Work Scotland, said such cases were "exceptional". | Elaine Torrance, the president of Social Work Scotland, said such cases were "exceptional". |
| "Liam's death is an absolute tragedy and the level of cruelty that Liam experienced was deeply shocking," she said. | "Liam's death is an absolute tragedy and the level of cruelty that Liam experienced was deeply shocking," she said. |
| "What makes it worse is that the abuse was carried out by the very people Liam should have been able to trust the most: his mum and his step-mum." | "What makes it worse is that the abuse was carried out by the very people Liam should have been able to trust the most: his mum and his step-mum." |
| Det Insp Rory Hamilton, of Police Scotland, said: "During joint interviews with specially-trained detectives and officials from Fife Council, the evidence began to build towards a picture of horrendous abuse which directly contributed to the version of events being put forward by the two accused being utterly discredited. | Det Insp Rory Hamilton, of Police Scotland, said: "During joint interviews with specially-trained detectives and officials from Fife Council, the evidence began to build towards a picture of horrendous abuse which directly contributed to the version of events being put forward by the two accused being utterly discredited. |
| "This was a complex, challenging and sensitive investigation which involved interviewing two young children to establish the level of abuse and neglect both they and Liam Fee had been subjected to. | "This was a complex, challenging and sensitive investigation which involved interviewing two young children to establish the level of abuse and neglect both they and Liam Fee had been subjected to. |
| "It was because of their courage that detectives were able to identify Rachel and Nyomi Fee as being responsible for a wide range of serious offences against three children." | "It was because of their courage that detectives were able to identify Rachel and Nyomi Fee as being responsible for a wide range of serious offences against three children." |
| Sean Catherall, a former friend of the Fees, gave evidence at the trial. | Sean Catherall, a former friend of the Fees, gave evidence at the trial. |
| He said he had lost touch with the couple after the abuse started and had not been aware of what was going on. | He said he had lost touch with the couple after the abuse started and had not been aware of what was going on. |
| "Words cannot describe how much I actually physically hate them now. They've wrecked so many people's lives," he said. | "Words cannot describe how much I actually physically hate them now. They've wrecked so many people's lives," he said. |
| "I didn't think in a million years she [Nyomi] was capable of any of that stuff, especially towards a baby - it kills us every day." | "I didn't think in a million years she [Nyomi] was capable of any of that stuff, especially towards a baby - it kills us every day." |