Man guilty over toddler's death
A man has been convicted of involvement in the death of a toddler after a series of failings described as "worse than Climbie".
The 17-month-old died after months of being used "as a punchbag" and then having his back and ribs broken.
The toddler's 32-year-old "dad" - his mother's boyfriend - has been found guilty of causing or allowing the death in August last year. The child's 27-year-old mother pleaded guilty to the same charge earlier and will be sentenced on December 15. She was cleared of murder earlier on the directions of the judge.
The 32-year-old was cleared of murder by the jury. The jury was told to convict him of the lesser charge if it could not agree on who caused the injuries in the house where three adults were living.
The family, from Haringey, north London, cannot be named for legal reasons. House guest Jason Owen, 36, from Bromley, south east London, was also found guilty of causing or allowing the death.
The abuse was said to have taken place over eight months, during which time the boy was on the child protection register of Haringey social services.
He was seen 60 times by health or social workers during that period, being seen about twice a week. At the end he had more than 50 injuries or bruises and an attempt had been made to cover up the crime. He should have been protected by social workers, police and health professionals, the Old Bailey heard.
But his mother had been able to manipulate them with lies and even got away with smearing him with chocolate to hide bruises. In the 48 hours before the boy was found dead in his blood-spattered cot, a doctor failed to spot his broken spine. And police told the mother she would not be prosecuted after being arrested twice for suspected child cruelty.
Owen and the 32-year-old man were remanded in custody to be sentenced on December 15.
A foundation set up to improve child protection called for a public inquiry into the death of the toddler. Mor Dioum, director of the Victoria Climbie Foundation, said: "This case is worse than Climbie. The signs were there but were not followed."
