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| Man jailed for 12 years for shaking his partner's baby to death Man jailed for 12 years for shaking his partner's baby to death | |
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| A man has been jailed for 12 years for shaking his partner’s baby to death. | A man has been jailed for 12 years for shaking his partner’s baby to death. |
| A court heard that James Larkin, 26, was “kind and loving” towards three-month-old Christopher, despite not being his biological father. But he was said to have been treated like a “doormat” by the boy’s mother, Laura Ostle. | A court heard that James Larkin, 26, was “kind and loving” towards three-month-old Christopher, despite not being his biological father. But he was said to have been treated like a “doormat” by the boy’s mother, Laura Ostle. |
| Mrs Justice Andrews said the boy’s wider family may never know what caused the former Territorial Army soldier to “snap” in September 2014. | Mrs Justice Andrews said the boy’s wider family may never know what caused the former Territorial Army soldier to “snap” in September 2014. |
| Christopher died in hospital a day after he was violently shaken by Larkin at the house he shared with Ostle in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. | Christopher died in hospital a day after he was violently shaken by Larkin at the house he shared with Ostle in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. |
| The judge said Larkin had provided a variety of different accounts of what happened and did not give evidence in his trial. But she rejected the assertion made by his lawyers that he had panicked and shaken Christopher in a medical emergency. | The judge said Larkin had provided a variety of different accounts of what happened and did not give evidence in his trial. But she rejected the assertion made by his lawyers that he had panicked and shaken Christopher in a medical emergency. |
| “Christopher’s wider family may never find out what really happened on the morning of 16 September 2014 or what it was that caused you to lose control and shake him so violently,” Andrews said. | “Christopher’s wider family may never find out what really happened on the morning of 16 September 2014 or what it was that caused you to lose control and shake him so violently,” Andrews said. |
| Referring to a witness who showed Sheffield crown court what Larkin said he did to the baby, the judge said it would be “very difficult to erase that graphic image from our memories”. | Referring to a witness who showed Sheffield crown court what Larkin said he did to the baby, the judge said it would be “very difficult to erase that graphic image from our memories”. |
| “[This was] not the action of man gripped by panic, endeavouring to save a life, but the action of man who had been driven by anger, frustration, exasperation, or [a] combination of all three, to completely lose his self-control,” she said. | “[This was] not the action of man gripped by panic, endeavouring to save a life, but the action of man who had been driven by anger, frustration, exasperation, or [a] combination of all three, to completely lose his self-control,” she said. |
| Larkin, of Doncaster, was found guilty of manslaughter after a trial that finished last week. Larkin and Ostle, 21, were found guilty of perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. | Larkin, of Doncaster, was found guilty of manslaughter after a trial that finished last week. Larkin and Ostle, 21, were found guilty of perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. |
| Ostle was sentenced to 18 months in prison alongside Larkin on Monday. | Ostle was sentenced to 18 months in prison alongside Larkin on Monday. |
| The judge said the most extraordinary feature of the case was their relationship. “There is no doubt that Laura was the dominant partner in the relationship from the outset and that, not to put too fine a point on it, she made use of you,” she said. | The judge said the most extraordinary feature of the case was their relationship. “There is no doubt that Laura was the dominant partner in the relationship from the outset and that, not to put too fine a point on it, she made use of you,” she said. |
| The court heard that Ostle had been diagnosed with an attachment disorder, but Andrews told Larkin: “It does not account for her treating you like a doormat.” | The court heard that Ostle had been diagnosed with an attachment disorder, but Andrews told Larkin: “It does not account for her treating you like a doormat.” |
| The court heard that Larkin, who neighbours described as “childlike”, cleaned the house, did most of the childcare and was belittled by Ostle. The judge said Ostle gave him a black eye and he was so afraid of confrontations with her that he once hid in a handyman’s van. | The court heard that Larkin, who neighbours described as “childlike”, cleaned the house, did most of the childcare and was belittled by Ostle. The judge said Ostle gave him a black eye and he was so afraid of confrontations with her that he once hid in a handyman’s van. |
| Andrews said Larkin was “extraordinarily tolerant” of Ostle’s relationships with other men. | Andrews said Larkin was “extraordinarily tolerant” of Ostle’s relationships with other men. |
| “You tolerated her bringing him [a man she met online] back to the house and his staying overnight in her room, and were civil to him when you met,” she said. | “You tolerated her bringing him [a man she met online] back to the house and his staying overnight in her room, and were civil to him when you met,” she said. |
| “Indeed, shortly before 6am on the morning that Christopher was injured, possibly while you were sitting in bed next to her feeding the baby, though you could have been downstairs preparing his bottle, Laura was continuing to engage in flirtatious texting with a man she had never met.” | “Indeed, shortly before 6am on the morning that Christopher was injured, possibly while you were sitting in bed next to her feeding the baby, though you could have been downstairs preparing his bottle, Laura was continuing to engage in flirtatious texting with a man she had never met.” |
| But the judge said she did not believe he had reacted to finding any such message and it was “blindingly obvious” that you should not shake a baby. | But the judge said she did not believe he had reacted to finding any such message and it was “blindingly obvious” that you should not shake a baby. |
| Andrews said: “This is, by any standards, a most unusual case. Tragic though it undoubtedly is, it is far removed from the sadly all too common picture of a helpless child being subjected to sustained abuse over their short lifetime and then eventually killed by an uncaring or sadistic step-parent. | Andrews said: “This is, by any standards, a most unusual case. Tragic though it undoubtedly is, it is far removed from the sadly all too common picture of a helpless child being subjected to sustained abuse over their short lifetime and then eventually killed by an uncaring or sadistic step-parent. |
| “On the contrary, the evidence in this case, without exception, portrays you as kind, loving and caring towards [Christopher].” | “On the contrary, the evidence in this case, without exception, portrays you as kind, loving and caring towards [Christopher].” |
| DCI Dave Stopford said: “The sentences passed can never bring back the young life that was taken, but I am pleased that Larkin and Ostle are behind bars. | DCI Dave Stopford said: “The sentences passed can never bring back the young life that was taken, but I am pleased that Larkin and Ostle are behind bars. |
| “This has been a lengthy and upsetting investigation for all concerned, and I repeat my thanks to the members of the jury, who had to sit through weeks of distressing medical evidence and to the officers in this case, who have worked tirelessly to get justice for the young victim.” | “This has been a lengthy and upsetting investigation for all concerned, and I repeat my thanks to the members of the jury, who had to sit through weeks of distressing medical evidence and to the officers in this case, who have worked tirelessly to get justice for the young victim.” |