DANIEL RIGBY SENTENCED FOR BRUTAL MURDER OF TODDLER IN BREIGHTMET, BOLTON

In a tragic and disturbing case that has shocked the community of Breightmet and the wider Greater Manchester area, Daniel Rigby, aged 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a two-year-old boy named Rio Smedley. The court heard that Rigby inflicted an 'extremely violent attack' on the young child at his home in Cheriton Drive, Breightmet, Bolton, which resulted in the child's death.

Manchester Crown Court was told that Rio Smedley sustained a total of 91 injuries, which were believed to have been caused by a combination of punches, kicks, knees, and stamping. The severity and number of injuries painted a horrifying picture of the violence inflicted upon the toddler. The court heard that the injuries were not consistent with a simple fall or accidental injury, but rather the result of a sustained and brutal assault.

Rio's mother, Kirsty Smedley, aged 24, was found guilty of allowing or causing the death of a child. Her sentencing was scheduled for a later date. During the proceedings, Mr. Justice David MacKay addressed Rigby directly, condemning his actions. He stated, 'You abused [Rio's] trust by punishing him physically in quite a revolting way. It’s a chilling, terrible picture. He suffered considerably before he died, I am satisfied. He was a vulnerable boy.'

On the day of the incident, Smedley called emergency services on 22 April, reporting that Rio was unresponsive. She claimed that the boy had 'fallen down four steps and banged his head' at their residence in Breightmet. Despite being rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital, Rio succumbed to his injuries, which included a ruptured liver. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the cause of death was a ruptured liver, and it revealed that Rio had 91 separate injuries on his body.

Medical experts testified during the trial that the injuries could not have been caused by a fall, and the prosecution argued that Rigby had struck Rio with such force that his liver was split in two during what was described as a 'sustained and violent attack.' Rigby denied losing his temper with the toddler, claiming that he was upset because he was supposed to be caring for Rio instead of going to his sister’s house to smoke cannabis. He also alleged that his grandmother, Doreen Rigby, had dogs that caused Rio to fall off a chair and hit his head the day before he died. However, Mrs. Rigby denied that Rio was injured during his visit to her house in Tyldesley, Wigan.

Further investigation revealed that Rio died from the ruptured liver, and the court noted that he had been subjected to numerous injuries over his body. The court also heard that Smedley had failed to protect her son from Rigby, despite having previously reported him to police for violent attacks against her while she was pregnant. Rigby was arrested on 21 March following allegations of assault by Smedley and was placed under bail conditions that prohibited him from contacting her. However, Smedley withdrew her complaint on 3 April, and by 20 April, police informed Rigby that no further action would be taken against him.

During the final weekend of Rio's life, Smedley left Rigby in sole charge of the child for extended periods. It was also revealed that Rigby had been sending her numerous impatient text messages concerning Rio. The judge expressed that he did not believe Rigby intended to kill Rio but acknowledged that Rigby experienced a 'sudden loss of temper' and inflicted the fatal blow during a moment of rage.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Jan Urey described the attack as 'wicked' and emphasized that the injuries inflicted on Rio were brutal and not accidental, contrary to Rigby’s claims of self-defense or accidental injury. The court's findings highlighted the cruelty and severity of the assault.

Rio's family issued a heartfelt statement, expressing their grief and the enduring pain of losing their young son. They said, 'We have to live every day without Rio and for the rest of our lives we will never see him grow into a lovely young man. No matter how long that monster gets, he will still have a life. We wish we could say that we could start to rebuild our lives, but the hard work is just beginning.' Their words reflected the profound loss and ongoing struggle to cope with the tragedy caused by Rigby's actions.