Craig Dawick jailed for life for 'sadistic' murder of baby son

Craig Dawick

Craig Dawick was jailed for life, with a minimum of 21 years, for the 'sadistic' murder of his eight-month-old baby son - Judge Sir John Royce said the murder "defies belief".

Dawick, 25, kicked, punched and stamped on his son, inflicting "horrific and terrible" injuries.

He denied murder and claimed he accidentally pulled a cover from underneath Leyton sending the child flying from the sofa on to the hard floor.

Leyton, who was suffering with teething and heartburn, and his twin brother, were left in the house with Dawick, of Durham Street, Rochdale, on 6 September 2016 by their mother, Chantelle Flynn.

Half an hour later Dawick called her phone and when she arrived back at the house, Leyton was struggling to breathe and losing colour so she called an ambulance.

Leyton suffered injuries described by an expert as among the worst he had seen in more than 300 child injury cases, the court was told.

They included stamp injuries to his groin, injuries associated with vigorous shaking and severe internal injuries caused by punches.

Scans showed multiple and unsurvivable injuries to his brain and medical life support was withdrawn two days later in hospital.

Judge Royce told Dawick: "It is difficult to comprehend how any father could kick or stamp on his child's pubic area with such force to cause these gross injuries.

"It defies belief. Some might describe it as sadistic."

Flynn was convicted of causing or allowing the death of her baby and perverting the course of justice.

She was bailed to be sentenced at a later date.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/104976/man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-murder-following-death-of-a-baby