18 years for brute who killed ‘excited’ boy of 2
THE mother of a two-year-old has described her heartbreak at the loss of her “special boy” after her former partner was jailed for life for his murder.
Joseph Eke showed no emotion as he was sentenced to a minimum of 18 years for murdering Harry House on May 26 last year.
Eke, 22, inflicted “catastrophic” fatal injuries when he “lost his temper” and attacked Harry.
He had been left alone with Harry for just a few minutes after the boy’s mother Lauren O’Neill, 22, went out of the family home in Broadmayne, near Dorchester, Dorset, to buy ingredients to bake a cake with her son.
Prosecutor Adam Feest, QC, told Winchester Crown Court: ‘Lauren had told Harry about her plans for baking a cake and he was very excited, he was jumping up and down.”
In a statement read to court, Ms O’Neill said of Eke: “He has ruined so many people’s lives and not shown an ounce of remorse.
“We are truly heartbroken, he was such a special boy.”
After a three-week trial, the jury yesterday found Eke guilty of murder and causing grievous bodily harm.
Mrs Justice May told Eke: “You wilfully, fatally, failed Harry when you assaulted him, taking his life.” She added that Ms O’Neill had been “in denial” about the abuse carried out by Eke in the last days of Harry’s life.
The court heard Eke had left Harry covered in bruises and with broken ribs.
The judge told Eke: “No one will ever know the full extent of your mistreatment of Harry.”
Mr Feest said Harry died from a “blunt force impact” to the abdomen, probably by punching or kicking, which was of such force that it split his pancreas in two.
He also suffered a skull fracture during the assault.
When Ms O’Neill returned and discovered Harry dying, Eke pretended the boy was ill before urging her not to call 999.
Ms O’Neill said Harry went “all floppy” in her arms before he deteriorated rapidly.
Paramedics tried Harry but he died.
The court heard that in July, Eke assaulted Ms O’Neill after she “took a swipe” at him when he accused her of killing Harry.
Eke, of Upwey, Weymouth, had denied the offences and told the court he loved Harry.
He told the jury: “I didn’t kill him, I wouldn’t kill him.
“I wouldn’t harm a kid.” to save