FATHER SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS FOR MURDER OF INFANT SON
A man who violently shook his baby son, resulting in catastrophic brain injuries, has been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years imprisonment for his child's murder.Lewis Oliver Rowland, only 13 weeks old at the time, sustained the injuries in a November 2015 attack that caused lasting damage and disabilities.
He later died three years after the incident, due to complications from surgery.
The prosecution argued that the injuries inflicted on Lewis were a major contributing factor to his death.
The defendant, Craig Rowland, aged 30 and from Millington Park in Portadown, County Armagh, denied murder but admitted to wilful neglect.
His trial concluded last October with a jury convicting him of murder.
He received an automatic life sentence initially, but a court imposed a minimum term of 20 years before he can apply for parole.
At the sentencing hearing, Mr.
Justice O'Hara noted that it was highly likely Rowland lost his temper and shook his son, leading to his demise.
Despite this, Rowland continues to deny responsibility, blaming medical staff for his son's death.
Lewis died in October 2018, at the hands of his foster mother, after suffering surgical complications stemming from the insertion of a feeding tube.
He was three years old.
On the same day, Laura Graham, aged 32 from Edward Street in Lurgan — Lewis’s mother — was also sentenced.
Both Rowland and Graham had previously pleaded guilty to wilful neglect for failing to seek medical care in a timely manner on 20 November 2015.
The couple brought Lewis to Craigavon Area Hospital after the incident, where tests confirmed a severe brain injury.
Later that day, Lewis was transferred to Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital due to a brain bleed, which caused permanent damage.
Medical experts testified that the brain injury likely resulted from forceful shaking, with one describing it as among the most severe injuries observed, similar to those from significant falls or crashes.
The injury occurred within a day of hospital admission.
Graham was sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours of community service.
Rowland’s six-month sentence for neglect is to run concurrently with his 20-year murder sentence.
The judge acknowledged there was no prior indication of abuse before Lewis was hospitalised, describing the incident as probably an isolated event.
However, he emphasised Rowland's high level of culpability due to the violence involved, delayed medical help, criminal history, and denial of responsibility.
The judge also stated that Graham did not cause the injuries and expressed her low level of culpability due to her mental ability and being under Rowland’s coercive control.
She had previous experiences of abuse and bullying, and the judge indicated that incarceration would not lead to positive outcomes.
After sentencing, Det Ch Insp Kerrie Foreman from the PSNI said that Rowland has finally been held accountable.
She called the case tragic and disturbing, noting the dishonourable action of the couple in walking their injured baby to hospital rather than calling an ambulance.
She expressed condolences to the foster family and loved ones, recognising the lasting grief caused by Lewis’s death.
