Don’t forget the child killer mother, Rebecca Shuttleworth, who fatally assaulted her two-year-old boy following months of horrific abuse was sentenced to 18 years in jail before eligibility for parole, back in 2012.
Five short more years and she will be out in the community at the age of 43 with plenty of life ahead of her to abuse more children, maybe another one of her own?
Mr. Justice Spencer characterised her as a cruel, cunning, and manipulative individual who had inflicted a protracted demise upon her son, Keanu Williams.
He stated that it was Rebecca Shuttleworth’s obligation to safeguard a vulnerable child; yet, she instead perpetrated a heinous murder.
A major case study is currently being conducted to ascertain how Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, concealed her violent behaviour from the numerous professionals involved with her and her child.
The majority of jurors who adjudicated the case against Rebecca Shuttleworth reconvened in court to see her sentencing for murder and four charges of child maltreatment.
Throughout her six-month trial at Birmingham Crown Court, it was revealed that 37 external marks of harm were discovered on the boy’s body. He sustained contusions to his lower chest, belly, and back, along with a fractured cranium.
A postmortem investigation revealed “tramline” bruising indicative of Keanu being struck with a forceful item, such as a stick or rod. A fist-sized laceration was identified in a section of the child’s abdomen, resulting in significant haemorrhaging.
In January 2011, paramedics discovered Keanu’s lifeless body after Rebecca Shuttleworth’s partner, Luke Southerton, called 999, asserting that the boy had ceased breathing, seemed pallid, and had been unwell.
The lethal injuries were believed to have been sustained two days prior at Luke Southerton’s residence in the Ward End neighbourhood of Birmingham.
Luke Southerton, 32, was found guilty of one crime of child abuse, specifically an assault on Keanu, but was acquitted of murder and other charges. He received a nine-month suspended sentence and was mandated to complete 200 hours of community service.
Following Rebecca Shuttleworth’s conviction, the chair of Birmingham’s safeguarding children board, Jane Held, said: “It is already clear there are lessons to learn from how various agencies worked together to support Keanu and his family.
“It is clear from this trial that professionals in the different agencies involved missed a significant number of opportunities to intervene and take action.”
Clearly they identified the opportunities to learn but didn’t learn them.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.