MONSTER WHO BATTERED 5-YEAR-OLD TO DEATH FOR LOSING A SHOE
Lover of boy’s mum is caged
A MAN who battered a five-year-old boy to death in a park for losing a TRAINER has been jailed for life – with a minimum term of 18 years.
Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, flew into a rage and subjected his girlfriend’s son, Alex Malcolm, to a brutal attack in Mountsfield Park in Catford, south-east London.
Passing sentence at Woolwich Crown Court, Judge Mark Dennis QC said the child killer has a “deeply entrenched character flaw” that leads him to overreact and lose his temper.
Screaming
Witnesses heard a child’s fearful voice saying “sorry”, loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe. Alex suffered fatal head and stomach injuries and died in hospital two days later.
One of his trainers was later found in the play area by police.
Iheanacho, who was in a relationship with Alex’s mother, Lilya Breha, had a “wholly and unnecessary loss of temper”, Judge Dennis said.
He did nothing to raise the alarm or get medical help and the judge said it is apparent that he has a “deeply entrenched character flaw”, adding: “One that leads you to overreact and lose your temper.”
The judge said there has been a “disturbing pattern of sudden and violent behaviour” when Iheanacho is frustrated and not getting his own way.
Iheanacho, from Hounslow, west London, has a string of previous convictions for violent offences, including attacks on ex-partners and robbery.
Alex’s head, neck and body were covered with bruises after the attack on November 20 last year.
Iheanacho carried the unconscious boy to a minicab office and took him to Ms Breha’s flat, even though the nearest hospital was a five-minute walk away.
He then attacked Ms Breha as she tried to call an ambulance after noticing her son was getting cold, his face had turned blue and he had stopped breathing.
Doctors at Lewisham Hospital tried to resuscitate Alex, but a CT scan showed he was suffering from severe brain swelling.
Pressure
He was transferred to King’s College Hospital but was pronounced dead on November 22 after an unsuccessful operation.
The trial heard that Iheanacho had phoned Ms Breha from prison to pressure her to back him up in court.
A victim impact statement from Ms Breha, read out in court, said of Alex: “He was a beautiful little angel. He was the first person that I truly loved and he loved me.”
Ms Breha said Alex was her “purpose for living”.
And she added: “Really, my life ended when Alex’s did.”