A couple who subjected a vulnerable 28-year-old man in their care to "deliberate cruelty" have been sentenced to life imprisonment for his murder.
Rubin Blount weighed only 40kg when he died in November 2022. Stafford Crown Court heard that he was made to eat out of rubbish bins and stand for long periods at an address in Tamworth, Staffordshire, by his stepbrother Kenneth Newton and Newton’s partner Melanie James.
Newton, 58, and James, 64, both of Birmingham, recorded videos of themselves taunting and abusing the victim. They were convicted of Mr Blount’s murder by a jury at the court in July.
After Mrs Justice Jefford jailed each defendant for a minimum term of 21 years on Friday, a member of the public shouted "rot in hell" as they were taken down.
The judge stated that both Newton and James held a position of trust that they ultimately breached, demonstrating an "abject failure to help him when he was in pain and suffering".
The court was told that Mr Blount was severely malnourished and dehydrated when he was taken to hospital after becoming ill, where he suffered a cardiac arrest upon arrival.
Although medical staff resuscitated him, he remained in a critical condition and died three days later on 30 November 2022.
In hospital, clinicians discovered Mr Blount was suffering from extensive pneumonia, severe infection, fractures to his spine and ribs, alongside burns, lesions and grazes.
A Staffordshire Police investigation revealed that Newton and James had ridiculed Mr Blount’s intellect and physical appearance. He sustained 50 rib fractures, 47 of which were inflicted during the weeks preceding his death.
Officers also found mould and "abhorrent" conditions in his bedroom.
Prosecution counsel Jennifer Josephs KC told Friday’s sentencing hearing that the victim must have experienced "extreme pain and suffering" prior to his death.
She explained that Mr Blount, described as "considerably mentally impaired", was particularly vulnerable, and that the defendants’ "cruel" conduct was documented in video evidence shown to the jury.
Ms Josephs detailed how Mr Blount was forced to "stand to attention", eat out of bins, and lie in his own urine.
She added that the pair deliberately denied the victim access to medical care until he was "beyond help".
Wearing a white T-shirt, grey jacket and blue jeans, James wept in the dock as Ms Josephs outlined how the abuse and violence against Mr Blount endured for months.
She said: "Mr Blount’s death was the culmination of a prolonged course of conduct perpetrated against a man who was unable to speak for himself."
Newton, dressed in a dark grey jumper and light grey Nike tracksuit bottoms, leaned forward with his head down.
Reading a victim impact statement to the court, Mr Blount’s mother Jeanette Blount said her son was vulnerable and deserving of "compassion, dignity and a chance to live his life".
She said: "We all believed they loved him and would take care of him. We had no reason to believe otherwise. I never believed there would come a time Rubin would no longer be here. He was more than a victim.
"He was a son, a brother and friend and a person who was deeply loved by so many people – not just us, but people who knew him in the community. His life mattered and his loss has been felt by us all. No sentence can bring back our son or take away the trauma that we now carry. The grief is constant.
"He deserved compassion, dignity and a chance to live his life. His future was stolen and our family must now live with a lifetime of heartbreak."
Representing James, Rebecca Wade KC asked Mrs Justice Jefford to grant the defendant "light at the end of the tunnel and something to work towards", acknowledging that she would be at least 80 years old before any possibility of release.
She said: "No one could fail to be moved by the emotive nature of the trial and what Rubin Blount went through in his life.
"No one could fail to be disgusted by Melanie James’ actions towards this vulnerable man. She is a woman who has had a difficult life of her own. A phrase used by me during my closing speech to the jury was walk a mile in my shoes, and I repeat those words now.
"Her background doesn’t excuse what she has done, but recognition of it goes some way to provide some sort of explanation for it.
"A common phrase is ‘the abused becomes the abuser’ and that is something that may well be true in Melanie James’ case.
"There is some evidence to show that, at one point, she did care for Rubin and did love him, and him her.
"Something shifted and we would submit that such a shift was her ability to cope with the stresses and strains of life and that was much to Rubin’s detriment."
Mark Heywood KC, defending Newton, stated that Mr Blount had been a "challenging" individual to care for through no fault of his own.
He said: "This is a case where only really serious harm was intended, not death. There was evidence in the trial that Mr Blount had been a challenging person to care for, not through any fault of his own.
"This relationship did start off well and with good hopes, it was hoped it would prove a sanctuary for Rubin.
"What caused it to deteriorate in the manner that led to his death can’t be dealt with as simply as saying he was financially advantageous for them, or that he became a burden. He must have been, with the best will in the world, a demanding young man. They were ill equipped."
In passing sentence, Mrs Justice Jefford noted that Mr Blount had "more or less disappeared from view" and had not left the house for roughly two months before his death.
She highlighted recordings created by the defendants on 2 November 2022 that exposed their mistreatment of Mr Blount.
She said: "(They) show Rubin emaciated, gaunt, stooped and broken, standing in the doorway.
"You accused him of putting on his poor physical state, you mocked him, you flung abuse at him… you laughed and seemed to find this abhorrent behaviour amusing.
"He was unable to defend himself or even walk away from you.
"The first 25 rib fractures were inflicted before or shortly after this recording was made."
She added: "It would have been obvious that punching him would cause really serious harm and yet you did it again.
The jury were sure, as am I, that you did this together and that whether one or both of you were assaulting him, the other was encouraging it."
The judge stated that Mr Blount suffered "significant and debilitating pain", adding: "You did nothing for him. In fact, you assaulted him again and again. You did nothing to help him."
She remarked that she had "no doubt" the defendants only eventually sought assistance for Mr Blount out of concern for their own position.
She said: "You tried to portray yourself as kind and caring. Kenneth Newton, almost the first thing you said to police was about falls Rubin had had. I have no doubt you were trying to create the impression he would regularly injure himself."
The judge noted that James had made "wicked lies" about Mr Blount to social services, the council and others.
She said: "You claimed he was becoming aggressive, threatening and even violent and that he was searching online for child pornography.
"These were wicked lies, but you were sufficiently convincing to make people think you were a victim.
"Why you did this is unclear… it may have been to cover what was really happening in the home."
Whispers of "yes" were heard from the public gallery as the sentences were announced.
Speaking outside Stafford Crown Court after the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Fitzgerald noted that the investigation was among the most challenging officers had handled.
He said: "The extent of the injuries Rubin suffered, the state that he was in and the arrogance (of the defendants) in the way they thought they could try and get away with it and blame him for his injuries was shocking and very, very distressing.
"He was clearly well liked in the community and people took an interest in his wellbeing – despite that, (the defendants) still chose to abuse him."
