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Mother guilty of toddler's murder | Mother guilty of toddler's murder |
(30 minutes later) | |
A mother has been jailed for a minimum of 16 years after being convicted of murdering her 21-month-old son in south-east London. | |
Bobby Louch was found with about 80 bruises and injuries at his home in Bexleyheath, in December 2008. | Bobby Louch was found with about 80 bruises and injuries at his home in Bexleyheath, in December 2008. |
Collette Harris, 30, had denied killing Bobby. | |
At the Old Bailey, Harris's former boyfriend James Phillips, 25, from Erith, Kent, was acquitted on all counts. | |
Harris had also previously denied an alternative charge of causing or allowing the toddler's death. | |
Bobby had fatal damages to his brain and abdomen, the trial heard. | |
Most of the injuries were from the 48 hours leading up to his death on 29 December 2008. | Most of the injuries were from the 48 hours leading up to his death on 29 December 2008. |
Bobby had been left alone with each adult over the weekend at the family home in Halcot Avenue, Bexleyheath. | |
He was kicked in the stomach on Saturday with such force that it damaged vital organs. | |
'Repeated violence' | |
The day after, he was sick and was vomiting and looking disorientated. | |
He had a burn mark on his right hand which could have been made by it being placed on an oven door, the court heard. | |
However, despite Bobby's injuries Harris refused to take him to hospital. | |
She told a friend she would be suspected of abusing him, the court heard. | |
Bobby has 40 injuries to his head and body | |
In the early hours of Monday morning, a neighbour said he heard a baby "whimpering" and murmuring "Mummy". | |
Later, Harris rang for an ambulance, saying: "My baby won't wake up." | |
Among his injuries, the toddler had two broken ribs, bleeding in the spine, massive damage to the brain and severe injuries to the abdomen, including a damaged liver and pancreas. | |
He had been treated for a broken leg three weeks prior to his death and was kept in for a scan when bruises were seen on his forehead. | He had been treated for a broken leg three weeks prior to his death and was kept in for a scan when bruises were seen on his forehead. |
Richard Whittam, QC, prosecuting, said: "There is compelling evidence that the multiple injuries were the result of deliberate and repeated violence." | |
Harris screamed, "oh my God", and collapsed in tears as the jury found her guilty of murder. | |