A man who shook his partner's toddler after he had stopped playing video games too late was imprisoned for life with a minimum duration of 25 years before the murder of the 22 months old.
Christopher Stockton, 38, was in the only accusation of Charlie Roberts when the boy sustained a deadly head injury in Darlington's family house, but his mother Paula admitted that he neglected him prior to the murder.
Roberts, 41, was suspicious enough about Stockton that she set up a espionage camera above her son's cot, a trial at Tesside Crown Court in December.
But she stayed in a relationship with him, even after she had expressed her concern about Stockton to her brother.
Roberts had initially denied an indictment for cruelty, and eventually had to admit that she neglected her son by getting the Charlie medical treatment for bruises caused by Stockton for several weeks.
Her boyfriend was convicted of murder and jokes. Stockton was imprisoned for life with a minimum duration of 25 years. Roberts is imprisoned for four years.
Stepfather Christopher Stockton, 38, was convicted of killing the 22 -month -old Charlie Roberts (shown together)
The boy (center) died after he was violently shaken when he was left alone in the care of Stockton by mother-of-five Paula Roberts (right)
Stockton, who had been withdrawn only seven days earlier with Roberts and her little boy, was in the only accusation of Charlie when he caused a serious head injury that caused widespread bleeding in January 2024.
Nicholas Lumley KC, persecution, jury members said that Stockton 'shook him or threw up, intentionally and vigorously caused small Charlie damage'.
Roberts had left the house for minutes earlier to take a harvest test, and Stockton, who was sick and who had stayed in the early hours playing Xbox matches, must have broken that January morning, the court was told.
Stockton rank 999 and could be heard on a recording that repeatedly 'come to size' and 'wakey wakey' against the little boy who did not breathe.
Stockton would tell paramedics, doctors and the police that Charlie had suffocated a cookie and that he beat the child on the back and put his fingers in the throat of the toddler.
The toddler died in the hospital the next day.
Jamie Hill KC, defensive Stockton, the court told on Friday that he had no earlier convictions, the murder was not ahead and there was no intention to kill.
Richard Herrmann, defensive Roberts, said she had struggled with psychological problems.
Seven months before he was murdered, Charlie Social Services Temporarily removed from the care of his mother in the midst of concern seen by hospital doctors may have been non-accidental
A Shirtless Stockton, 38, is depicted with small Charlie while the young person slept on his chest
The mother of the toddler Paula Roberts was so worried about Stockton and the safety of her son that she had installed a spy camera
The image reveals where the spy camera was hidden in a plant pot in the bedroom
She cried when Mr. Herrmann said, “She must live with the knowledge that if she had acted otherwise, it would not have happened.”
Nicholas Lumley KC, continued, said that Charlie's father and two grandfathers had written statements before the court about their sense of loss, but all three did not want to read in public.
After the conviction of Stockton, Charlie's father Barry Greenwell said: “Charlie was a beloved son and grandson who has been unnecessarily removed and left the whole family with an emptiness that will never be filled.
“As a family we process the recent events and we try to process the verdict and the information in the pure that has been deeply disturbing on ourselves.”
Detective chief inspector Chris Barker, who led the investigation, said: 'To install a espionage camera, as Paula Roberts did, there must have been worries about him.
'If you are worried about those who take care of your children, you must act, pronounce or ask for help.
“Charlie had everything to live for, but his life was broken down.”
