Children’s charity the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has issued a warning after a Darlington man was found guilty of murdering 22-month-old Charlie Roberts. Christopher Stockton, 38, was found guilty of murder as well as child cruelty.
Charlie died in January this year when he suffered catastrophic brain injuries after he had been left by his mother Paula Roberts in Stockton’s sole care. The jury accepted the prosecution argument that Charlie may have been “shaken or thrown with considerable force” prior to his death – and that the fatal injuries would only have been inflicted after Roberts left.
Following the case, a spokesperson for the NSPCC said: “Charlie’s tragic death at the hands of the man who was supposed to be caring for him is heart-breaking.
“Children, especially young babies, rely on the adults around them to keep them safe, and so are particularly vulnerable to abuse. Stockton’s brutal actions have robbed Charlie’s family of seeing him grow up, and our thoughts are with all those who knew and loved this little boy.
“It is vital that anyone with concerns about a child’s welfare or safety speaks out. The NSPCC Helpline is available on 0808 8005000 or at help@nspcc.org.uk.”
Stockton was remanded in custody and will face sentencing in the New Year – though the judge emphasised that given the murder conviction, he would face a life sentence.
Join our Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community
Join our Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community for all the latest news direct to your phone.
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press ‘join community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/nspcc-warning-after-child-murder-30557881
