DARREN NEWTON EARBY HORROR: BABY'S MURDER AND CRUELTY REVEALED

In December 2010, a tragic and disturbing case unfolded involving Darren Newton, a man from Earby, who was convicted of heinous crimes against a young child. Newton, aged 32, initially appeared to be a caring and trustworthy figure in the life of his girlfriend’s 15-month-old son. However, beneath this facade, he committed acts of unimaginable cruelty that would shock the community and the nation.

During times when the child's mother was away, Newton subjected the toddler to a series of brutal assaults. These acts were not only violent but also meticulously documented by Newton himself. He recorded these disturbing episodes on his mobile phone, creating a digital record of his abuse. The videos bore titles such as 'Two minutes of pain,' 'Squeezing toe in cot 1 and 2,' 'Shivering no water,' and 'Happy slap,' reflecting a disturbing attempt at mockery or a twisted sense of humor.

These recordings were discovered after the child's tragic death in hospital from severe head injuries. The child's mother, overwhelmed with grief, wept openly as she learned of Newton’s conviction for murder. Prior to the murder charge, Newton had pleaded guilty to 12 counts of child cruelty, revealing a pattern of ongoing abuse.

Judge Stephen Irwin sentenced Newton to a minimum of 24 years in prison, describing his actions as driven by pure 'wickedness.' In his sentencing remarks, the judge expressed disbelief at the cruelty inflicted upon the innocent child. He stated, 'Anyone who watches the video clips of some of what you did – and I am convinced you recorded only some of what you did – will genuinely struggle to understand why you came to do this.' The judge emphasized that Newton had betrayed the trust placed in him as a caregiver, noting that the child was too young to communicate what was happening, leaving his mother unaware of the abuse.

The court heard that the child was born in August 2008, shortly before his parents separated. His mother later entered into a relationship with her neighbor, Darren Newton, who resided with his own parents. She believed Newton to be a 'quiet, loving and caring' individual, someone she trusted to look after her young son.

Prosecutor Dennis Watson QC highlighted that beneath Newton’s outward appearance lay a dark and wicked side that only surfaced when he was alone with the child. This sinister aspect of Newton’s character was only uncovered after the child's death. Between June and November of the previous year, Newton carried out repeated acts of cruelty, including assaults that he documented on his mobile device.

One particularly disturbing video showed Newton filming himself hitting the baby on the head repeatedly, while the child sat shivering in a bath after the water had been drained. The same day, Newton recorded himself inflicting physical harm, which he titled 'Happy Slap.' The prosecution revealed that Newton was left alone with the child at 2:30 pm, and by 5:45 pm, the baby, named Charlie, had died.

Newton later claimed to police that the baby had suffered a fit while he was upstairs preparing him for bed. However, a post-mortem examination painted a different picture, revealing extensive bleeding in both of the child's eyes, damage to the optic nerves, a swollen brain, and deep bruising on his head.

Newton, a factory worker from Earby, was arrested and his mobile phone was seized by officers. The investigation uncovered the collection of video clips that documented his abuse. It was also revealed that the child's mother was known to social services due to her previous children being in care, although the baby was not on an 'at risk' register at the time.

A Serious Case Review was conducted, and its findings are expected to be published by Ofsted in the near future. Outside the court, the mother expressed her anguish and anger, describing Newton as 'evil and twisted' for what he did to her baby. She described the child as an 'angel,' always happy, playful, and well-cared for. She admitted that if she had suspected any of Newton’s actions, she might have taken drastic measures herself.

She shared her devastation, saying, 'I entrusted him with the care of the one main thing in my life and for him to do that is a betrayal of my son, myself and everything I know. I will have to live with the error of my judgement until the day I die.' Her words underscored the profound sense of loss and betrayal that pervaded this tragic case.