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| Man jailed for murder of two-year-old boy he was 'disciplining' | Man jailed for murder of two-year-old boy he was 'disciplining' |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Chevaze Sanchez McGregor sentenced to 21 years after beating to death Jeremiah Regis-Ngaujah from Wolverhampton | |
| Press Association | |
| Fri 23 Jun 2017 15.53 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 23 Jun 2017 19.52 BST | |
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| A churchgoer who murdered his partner’s two-year-old son after biting him and fracturing his skull during months of abuse has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years. | A churchgoer who murdered his partner’s two-year-old son after biting him and fracturing his skull during months of abuse has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years. |
| Chevaze Sanchez McGregor inflicted a series of injuries on Jeremiah Regis-Ngaujah before a heavy blow that ruptured his intestines, causing his “agonising” death 24 hours later. | Chevaze Sanchez McGregor inflicted a series of injuries on Jeremiah Regis-Ngaujah before a heavy blow that ruptured his intestines, causing his “agonising” death 24 hours later. |
| Birmingham crown court heard 27-year-old McGregor – who believed pain could teach children right from wrong – repeatedly struck London-born Jeremiah with a rod and a belt at the toddler’s home in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton. | Birmingham crown court heard 27-year-old McGregor – who believed pain could teach children right from wrong – repeatedly struck London-born Jeremiah with a rod and a belt at the toddler’s home in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton. |
| McGregor pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to murdering Jeremiah, whose mother Sindyann Regis was jailed for 40 months after admitting a charge of causing or allowing the death of a child. | McGregor pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to murdering Jeremiah, whose mother Sindyann Regis was jailed for 40 months after admitting a charge of causing or allowing the death of a child. |
| Sally Howes QC, prosecuting, said McGregor formed a relationship with Regis after meeting her at a Pentecostal church when she was about seven months pregnant. | Sally Howes QC, prosecuting, said McGregor formed a relationship with Regis after meeting her at a Pentecostal church when she was about seven months pregnant. |
| The court heard McGregor was present when Jeremiah was born at Queen’s hospital in Romford, Essex, in February 2014. | The court heard McGregor was present when Jeremiah was born at Queen’s hospital in Romford, Essex, in February 2014. |
| Howes told the court Jeremiah was pronounced dead at New Cross hospital in Wolverhampton in the early hours of 21 November last year, hours after his lifeless body was carried by McGregor to an ambulance. | Howes told the court Jeremiah was pronounced dead at New Cross hospital in Wolverhampton in the early hours of 21 November last year, hours after his lifeless body was carried by McGregor to an ambulance. |
| A previous hearing was told Jeremiah suffered more than 100 separate injuries, including an adult-sized bite mark that aroused the suspicion of medics. | A previous hearing was told Jeremiah suffered more than 100 separate injuries, including an adult-sized bite mark that aroused the suspicion of medics. |
| The court heard that in police interviews, McGregor, who claimed not to remember hitting Jeremiah around the head, produced a letter in which he stated: “Sindyann does not discipline him so it must be me. The job of the parent is to correct. God gave us pain so we know to do the right thing.” | The court heard that in police interviews, McGregor, who claimed not to remember hitting Jeremiah around the head, produced a letter in which he stated: “Sindyann does not discipline him so it must be me. The job of the parent is to correct. God gave us pain so we know to do the right thing.” |
| Regis could be heard sobbing in a room beside the dock after being allowed to leave court as Howes detailed how Jeremiah suffered numerous rib fractures, a bite mark to his chest, bruising and brain injury. | Regis could be heard sobbing in a room beside the dock after being allowed to leave court as Howes detailed how Jeremiah suffered numerous rib fractures, a bite mark to his chest, bruising and brain injury. |
| Howes told the court: “This is a case of a callous, sustained regime of brutality against a defenceless two-year-old in his own home. | Howes told the court: “This is a case of a callous, sustained regime of brutality against a defenceless two-year-old in his own home. |
| “Jeremiah was left broken and battered with life-threatening injuries and as his life ebbed away moment by agonising moment, Chevaze McGregor stood by and watched, knowing full well what he had done.” | “Jeremiah was left broken and battered with life-threatening injuries and as his life ebbed away moment by agonising moment, Chevaze McGregor stood by and watched, knowing full well what he had done.” |
| Regis, 26, initially told police she was unaware of any wrongdoing but later revealed she had seen McGregor holding Jeremiah off the floor after hearing loud banging noises coming from a bedroom. | Regis, 26, initially told police she was unaware of any wrongdoing but later revealed she had seen McGregor holding Jeremiah off the floor after hearing loud banging noises coming from a bedroom. |
| Passing sentence on Friday, Mr Justice Morris said Jeremiah died from multiple organ failure after his abdominal injuries caused septic shock. | Passing sentence on Friday, Mr Justice Morris said Jeremiah died from multiple organ failure after his abdominal injuries caused septic shock. |
| The judge told McGregor: “It is hard to imagine the pain inflicted upon such a defenceless child of two years of age. The death of a child is always tragic and shocking – the thoughts of a life not lived stay with us all. | The judge told McGregor: “It is hard to imagine the pain inflicted upon such a defenceless child of two years of age. The death of a child is always tragic and shocking – the thoughts of a life not lived stay with us all. |
| “However, words cannot adequately express the horror of the death of an innocent, very young child at the hands of an adult. He will have suffered greatly from the beatings meted out by you and from which his mother failed to protect him. | “However, words cannot adequately express the horror of the death of an innocent, very young child at the hands of an adult. He will have suffered greatly from the beatings meted out by you and from which his mother failed to protect him. |
| “You were in a position of trust and you abused that trust in the most extreme manner. He was at your mercy in the flat which you shared with his mother.” | “You were in a position of trust and you abused that trust in the most extreme manner. He was at your mercy in the flat which you shared with his mother.” |
| The judge added: “You say your religious beliefs led you to consider that this was necessary to discipline the young boy. However, this is no justification. The nature and frequency of the physical assaults go way beyond anything which could possibly be described as lawful chastisement.” | The judge added: “You say your religious beliefs led you to consider that this was necessary to discipline the young boy. However, this is no justification. The nature and frequency of the physical assaults go way beyond anything which could possibly be described as lawful chastisement.” |
| Jeremiah’s father was in court to see his son’s killer jailed – and described the toddler as happy and cheerful with an infectious smile. | Jeremiah’s father was in court to see his son’s killer jailed – and described the toddler as happy and cheerful with an infectious smile. |
| In a statement read to the court by Howes, Sahr Ngaujah said: “Although I did not have an active part in his life due to circumstances beyond my control, I still loved him as a father. | In a statement read to the court by Howes, Sahr Ngaujah said: “Although I did not have an active part in his life due to circumstances beyond my control, I still loved him as a father. |
| “He was my beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him. I had many hopes and dreams for Jeremiah. I will never know what Jeremiah may have become as a young man. I know that he loved to laugh and already at such a young age, he loved to sing and dance. He loved it if you sang to him and would join in. | “He was my beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him. I had many hopes and dreams for Jeremiah. I will never know what Jeremiah may have become as a young man. I know that he loved to laugh and already at such a young age, he loved to sing and dance. He loved it if you sang to him and would join in. |
| “Losing your child is hard enough to deal with, but losing them to murder is just inconceivable.” | “Losing your child is hard enough to deal with, but losing them to murder is just inconceivable.” |
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