Man who killed his partner’s son may never be released from jail

A STEPFATHER who murdered his partner’s two- year- old son at their home in South Yorkshire has been told he may never be freed from prison.

Martin Currie was jailed for life with a minimum of 22 years yesterday after being found guilty of the murder of Keigan O’Brien, who was shaken and thrown against a hard surface while the toddler’s mother was out.

Sarah O’Brien, Keigan’s mother, was jailed for eight years for allowing Keigan’s murder by leaving him in the company of violent heroin addict Currie, 36, on the morning of the attack on January 8 this year.

Described in court as a “beautiful little boy” and a “cuddly baby”, he suffered horrific injuries at the hands of Currie just two days after his second birthday, and was on life support for a day before doctors had to switch it off.

Sheffield Crown Court was told how Currie had been in bed watching porn on his phone on the morning of the attack when Keigan disturbed him, prompting him to fly into a fit of rage.

Medical evidence suggested Currie had yanked his arm before shaking him and throwing him down.

He then put the youngster back on his bed and continued to browse porn and gambling websites, before later finding Keigan was floppy and cold and frantically searching online for the terms “unconscious” and “unconscious and gurgling”.

Currie waited two hours to raise the alarm, calling his drug dealer before 999 was even called.

During the five- week trial it was heard how, during the couple’s relationship, they had exchanged messages calling Keigan cruel and dehumanising terms and had even shut him in his room adjusting the door handle so he could not get out.

The court was also told Keigan

had been hospitalised a few months prior to the murder at the end of 2019, when he was treated for injuries that included fractures to his spine, ribs, bleeds to his head and spine and injuries to his eyes.

Her Honour Mrs Justice Jennifer Eady told the court the injuries would have been caused “by severe force” consistent with

“a blow, stamping or kneeling” to the chest, and that Keigan would have shown signs of “ongoing distress”.

After emergency services were finally called on the day of the fatal attack, Currie continued to play a “cruel charade” pretending to be giving Keigan CPR, then lied to paramedics when they arrived at the home on Bosworth Road, in Adwick- le- Street, Doncaster.

Sentencing Currie, Judge Eady said: “You had placed yourself in the role of Keigan’s father, your duty was to protect him; instead you abused, injured and killed him.”

She added: “Ultimately, I must sentence you for the violent murder of a blameless two- year old child left in your care.”

Turning to O’Brien, 33, she said: “At the very least, you failed to protect Keigan, leaving him with Martin Currie to be subjected to the very significant force used in the incident that led to his death.”

A victim impact statement from Keigan’s biological father read out in court said he would “never forgive” himself for not being there for Keigan on the morning of the attack.

Both Currie and O’Brien were found guilty of cruelty against a child, although their sentences did not include further penalties for this.

Your duty was to protect him; instead you abused, injured and killed him. Her Honour Mrs Justice Jennifer Eady at Sheffield Crown Court.