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Boy's killer jailed for 10 years | Boy's killer jailed for 10 years |
(31 minutes later) | |
A man who killed his girlfriend's 23-month-old son in Dundee has been jailed for 10 years. | A man who killed his girlfriend's 23-month-old son in Dundee has been jailed for 10 years. |
Robert Cunningham, 23, was found guilty of the culpable homicide of toddler Brandon Muir after a High Court trial. | Robert Cunningham, 23, was found guilty of the culpable homicide of toddler Brandon Muir after a High Court trial. |
Brandon was pronounced dead at Ninewells Hospital on 16 March 2008 after being hit so hard that his intestine ruptured. | Brandon was pronounced dead at Ninewells Hospital on 16 March 2008 after being hit so hard that his intestine ruptured. |
Examinations of his body uncovered at least 40 injuries, including cracked ribs and cuts. | Examinations of his body uncovered at least 40 injuries, including cracked ribs and cuts. |
Police reports said the injuries happened in the last three weeks of Brandon's life - while Cunningham was living with Brandon and the toddler's mother, Heather Boyde, in Balunie Crescent. | |
Cunningham, a drug addict, was originally charged with the boy's murder but was convicted of the lesser charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Glasgow. | |
Ms Boyd, 23, had been charged with the culpable homicide of her son by failing to get him medical help after he was attacked by Cunningham. | |
She was cleared of the charges against her. | |
She had blamed Brandon's sickness on a 24-hour bug and went out to work as a prostitute to earn money for heroin while her son was dying. | |
Brandon Muir had suffered at least 40 injuries | |
Sentencing Cunningham, Judge John Morris QC said: "The jury held that you did not murder Brandon Muir, but convicted you of killing that unfortunate child. | |
"This was an act of unwanted violence aggravated by you not getting medical assistance. This must be marked by a substantial prison term." | |
Judge Morris also referred the case to Scottish Ministers under the Protection of Young Child Act. | |
Responding to the sentence outside the court, Brandon's grandmother Veronica Boyd said: "It's not enough. He has stolen and taken our grandson from us. | |
"He has caused total devastation to both sides of Brandon Muir's family." | |
An independent review of child protection services in Dundee is under way, led by former Fife Constabulary Chief Constable Peter Wilson | |
He said: "I believe that significant progress is being made in speaking to those involved in the case, and gathering information about what happened. | |
"Thus far the work has included speaking to family members, the staff involved, and the management of the various services. | |
"More interviews are scheduled, and others still to be organised." | |
The Scottish Government has also asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) to bring forward the publication of a separate inspection report into child protection services in the city. |
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