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| Paris Mayo jailed for murder of newborn son | Paris Mayo jailed for murder of newborn son |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| During the trial, jurors heard Paris Mayo was used to being around children and had trained in childcare | During the trial, jurors heard Paris Mayo was used to being around children and had trained in childcare |
| A 19-year-old who murdered her newborn son hours after giving birth has been jailed for at least 12 years. | A 19-year-old who murdered her newborn son hours after giving birth has been jailed for at least 12 years. |
| A trial heard Paris Mayo, then 15, suffocated the boy, Stanley, by stuffing cotton wool into his mouth and throat. | A trial heard Paris Mayo, then 15, suffocated the boy, Stanley, by stuffing cotton wool into his mouth and throat. |
| Mayo delivered him alone at her family home in Ross-on-Wye, in March 2019, while her parents were upstairs. | Mayo delivered him alone at her family home in Ross-on-Wye, in March 2019, while her parents were upstairs. |
| "Killing your baby son was a truly dreadful thing to do," said the judge, Mr Justice Garnham, passing sentence. | "Killing your baby son was a truly dreadful thing to do," said the judge, Mr Justice Garnham, passing sentence. |
| Warning: This article contains distressing content. | Warning: This article contains distressing content. |
| The trial heard she had assaulted Stanley, leaving him with injuries comparable to those seen in a car crash. | The trial heard she had assaulted Stanley, leaving him with injuries comparable to those seen in a car crash. |
| "How you did this is not clear, but I suspect you crushed his head, probably beneath your foot," the judge told Mayo. | "How you did this is not clear, but I suspect you crushed his head, probably beneath your foot," the judge told Mayo. |
| Her initial assault caused him "serious damage", but did not kill him, the judge added. | Her initial assault caused him "serious damage", but did not kill him, the judge added. |
| The aspiring midwife who killed her newborn son | The aspiring midwife who killed her newborn son |
| "He remained alive and continued to breathe for at least an hour. You decided you had to finish Stanley off by stuffing cotton wool balls into his throat." | "He remained alive and continued to breathe for at least an hour. You decided you had to finish Stanley off by stuffing cotton wool balls into his throat." |
| The newborn was found by Mayo's mother the day after his birth, dumped in a bin bag left on the doorstep. | The newborn was found by Mayo's mother the day after his birth, dumped in a bin bag left on the doorstep. |
| It was she who alerted emergency services in an emotional 999 call played to the jury. | It was she who alerted emergency services in an emotional 999 call played to the jury. |
| Mayo gave birth alone at the family home on 23 March 2019, leaving her frightened and traumatised, the judge said | Mayo gave birth alone at the family home on 23 March 2019, leaving her frightened and traumatised, the judge said |
| Mayo had claimed she did not know she was pregnant, also telling the court of her difficult family life and her father who had made her feel "worthless". | Mayo had claimed she did not know she was pregnant, also telling the court of her difficult family life and her father who had made her feel "worthless". |
| In her testimony, she described how she started having sex at 13 and used it as a way to get people to like her, because she was "insecure" due to her family situation. | In her testimony, she described how she started having sex at 13 and used it as a way to get people to like her, because she was "insecure" due to her family situation. |
| The court heard her father Patrick Mayo - who died 10 days after Stanley - had been upstairs on dialysis treatment with Mayo's mother at the time of the birth. | The court heard her father Patrick Mayo - who died 10 days after Stanley - had been upstairs on dialysis treatment with Mayo's mother at the time of the birth. |
| 'Frightened and traumatised' | 'Frightened and traumatised' |
| "You went through the process of giving birth without the assistance of a midwife, a doctor, a friend or a relative. I find as a fact that you were frightened and traumatised by those events.," Mr Justice Garnham said during sentencing. | "You went through the process of giving birth without the assistance of a midwife, a doctor, a friend or a relative. I find as a fact that you were frightened and traumatised by those events.," Mr Justice Garnham said during sentencing. |
| "Astonishingly, despite the pain you must have endured, it seems you did not cry out, so anxious were you not to disturb your parents sleeping upstairs." | "Astonishingly, despite the pain you must have endured, it seems you did not cry out, so anxious were you not to disturb your parents sleeping upstairs." |
| Defence barrister Bernard Richmond KC described Mayo as a "pathetic and vulnerable individual" who had not been supported by people around her. | Defence barrister Bernard Richmond KC described Mayo as a "pathetic and vulnerable individual" who had not been supported by people around her. |
| "When faced with a decision she had to make, she did not face up to it. By the time she had to, the decision she made was woefully, woefully wrong," he said. | "When faced with a decision she had to make, she did not face up to it. By the time she had to, the decision she made was woefully, woefully wrong," he said. |
| "This will, in every sense of the word, be a life sentence. It will be a lonely, isolating and frightening time for her." | "This will, in every sense of the word, be a life sentence. It will be a lonely, isolating and frightening time for her." |
| The jury were given the option to consider an alternative verdict of infanticide if they believed she killed Stanley while the balance of her mind was disturbed. | The jury were given the option to consider an alternative verdict of infanticide if they believed she killed Stanley while the balance of her mind was disturbed. |
| However, Mayo, of Ruardean in Gloucestershire, cried in the dock on Friday as jurors delivered a majority guilty verdict on the charge of murder. | However, Mayo, of Ruardean in Gloucestershire, cried in the dock on Friday as jurors delivered a majority guilty verdict on the charge of murder. |
| Mayo's trial was told she had a difficult family life and started having sex at 13 so people would like her | Mayo's trial was told she had a difficult family life and started having sex at 13 so people would like her |
| During summing up Mr Justice Garnham rejected the suggestion the murder was committed "with significant pre-planning". | During summing up Mr Justice Garnham rejected the suggestion the murder was committed "with significant pre-planning". |
| He added that Mayo had not spent her time covering up her pregnancy, but in March 2019 had found herself "facing a reality you had spent nine months telling yourself could not be true". | He added that Mayo had not spent her time covering up her pregnancy, but in March 2019 had found herself "facing a reality you had spent nine months telling yourself could not be true". |
| However, he said the combination of a two-stone weight gain and the lack of periods for eight months meant she "must have known" she was pregnant and "rapidly approaching your time for giving birth". | However, he said the combination of a two-stone weight gain and the lack of periods for eight months meant she "must have known" she was pregnant and "rapidly approaching your time for giving birth". |
| Despite that, the judge said Mayo "told no one, and sought no help". | Despite that, the judge said Mayo "told no one, and sought no help". |
| "You did not even tell your mother who you accepted in court would, at least after the initial shock, have been supportive," he said. | "You did not even tell your mother who you accepted in court would, at least after the initial shock, have been supportive," he said. |
| "I find as a fact that almost as soon as Stanley was born, you had decided you could not allow him to live." | "I find as a fact that almost as soon as Stanley was born, you had decided you could not allow him to live." |
| 'Tragic and complex' | 'Tragic and complex' |
| The judge also used his sentencing remarks to criticise a prosecution expert witness, describing forensic psychiatrist Dr Duncan Harding's "inflexibility of thinking" while giving evidence as "unhelpful". | The judge also used his sentencing remarks to criticise a prosecution expert witness, describing forensic psychiatrist Dr Duncan Harding's "inflexibility of thinking" while giving evidence as "unhelpful". |
| "He had told the police that you ought to be prosecuted, a surprising opinion for an expert called to give evidence on a defendant's mental state to express," Mr justice Garnham said. | "He had told the police that you ought to be prosecuted, a surprising opinion for an expert called to give evidence on a defendant's mental state to express," Mr justice Garnham said. |
| It was apparent he had a "clear and unshakeable view on your culpability from the time of his very first meeting with you." | It was apparent he had a "clear and unshakeable view on your culpability from the time of his very first meeting with you." |
| A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said the case had been both "tragic and complex". | A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said the case had been both "tragic and complex". |
| Stanley's "short life was filled with pain and suffering when he should have been nurtured and loved". | Stanley's "short life was filled with pain and suffering when he should have been nurtured and loved". |
| "[Mayo] chose to hide her pregnancy, give birth alone and kill her baby, then hide his body, despite accepting that she had a family who would have supported her." | "[Mayo] chose to hide her pregnancy, give birth alone and kill her baby, then hide his body, despite accepting that she had a family who would have supported her." |
| If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. | If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. |
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| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Ruardean | Ruardean |
| Ross on Wye | Ross on Wye |