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| Mother jailed after baby's death | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A mother found guilty of the familial homicide of her 13-month-old baby in a landmark prosecution has been jailed for six years at Swansea Crown Court. | |
| Rebecca Lewis, 21, failed to prevent baby Aaron Gilbert's murder by her partner Andrew Lloyd in May 2005. | |
| The Swansea woman's prosecution for the new offence of familial homicide was the first in Wales. | |
| Lloyd, 23 and also from the city, was jailed for 24 years after admitting murdering Aaron, who had brain damage. | |
| Lewis was one of the first people in the UK to be convicted of the new offence of familial homicide, which became law in May 2005. | Lewis was one of the first people in the UK to be convicted of the new offence of familial homicide, which became law in May 2005. |
| She had denied the charge but was found guilty last month following a four-week trial. | She had denied the charge but was found guilty last month following a four-week trial. |
| The jury at Swansea Crown Court heard that Lewis had begun a relationship with Lloyd following the break-up of her relationship with Aaron's father, Gareth Gilbert. | The jury at Swansea Crown Court heard that Lewis had begun a relationship with Lloyd following the break-up of her relationship with Aaron's father, Gareth Gilbert. |
| The court was told that although Lewis was largely absent during Lloyd's attacks on her son, she did nothing to prevent it. | The court was told that although Lewis was largely absent during Lloyd's attacks on her son, she did nothing to prevent it. |
| Aaron Gilbert had suffered more than 50 injuries when he died | |
| Lewis admitted that the baby became terrified of Lloyd and that she had seen Lloyd flicking the child's ears and feet when he cried, picking him up by his ears and ankles and throwing him onto a bed and settee. | Lewis admitted that the baby became terrified of Lloyd and that she had seen Lloyd flicking the child's ears and feet when he cried, picking him up by his ears and ankles and throwing him onto a bed and settee. |
| But she told the court she had trusted Lloyd and did not believe he would seriously hurt the baby. | But she told the court she had trusted Lloyd and did not believe he would seriously hurt the baby. |
| On the day before Aaron died on 5 May 2005, Lewis left the baby with Lloyd for about 15 minutes to go shopping. | On the day before Aaron died on 5 May 2005, Lewis left the baby with Lloyd for about 15 minutes to go shopping. |
| When she returned, Aaron was lying on the kitchen floor with Lloyd trying to revive him. | When she returned, Aaron was lying on the kitchen floor with Lloyd trying to revive him. |
| Doctors at Swansea's Singleton Hospital and later the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, tried for 18 hours to save Aaron's life but he died of brain damage. | Doctors at Swansea's Singleton Hospital and later the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, tried for 18 hours to save Aaron's life but he died of brain damage. |
| Paul Lewis QC, prosecuting, said Lloyd had caused a "constellation of some 50 injuries" including extensive swelling and bruising, significant internal injury to the brain and a bite mark to the child's face. | Paul Lewis QC, prosecuting, said Lloyd had caused a "constellation of some 50 injuries" including extensive swelling and bruising, significant internal injury to the brain and a bite mark to the child's face. |
| Lloyd had initially denied Aaron's murder, but changed his plea to guilty during the trial. | Lloyd had initially denied Aaron's murder, but changed his plea to guilty during the trial. |