A mum and dad have been found guilty of murdering their baby son on Christmas Day, during lockdown, after they left him with over 130 injuries as they burned and beat the innocent child.
The judge, Mrs Justice Tipples, choked back tears as she thanked the jury for its “extremely impressive” conduct through proceedings, after Shannon Marsden, 22, and Stephen Boden, 30, were convicted at Derby Crown Court of the murder of 10-month-old Finley Boden.
She excused the jury from ever having to serve again as she thanked them for their "dedication, commitment and patience in carrying out this extremely important public service”.
In the 39 days Finley lived in his family home, after being placed back in his parents' care, he was subjected to “significant, substantial and repeated acts of severe violence” at the hands of Marsden and Boden.
Finley's cruel pot-smoking parents left him with over 130 injuries on his body, sepsis and pneumonia when the youngster died on Christmas Day in 2020.
Both Boden and Marsden denied the charges of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child, before a jury took just over a week to find them guilty following a five-week trial at Derby Crown Court.
Prosecutor Mary Prior KC described how Finley had suffered a catalogue of “appalling” injuries, including 71 bruises over his body and 57 fractures, many inflicted in the short period before his fatal collapse.
Only hours after his son’s death, Boden was heard telling Marsden at hospital that he was going to sell Finley’s pushchair on eBay – later claiming to police that he only said this in an effort to lighten the mood.
Similarly, police officers observed Boden asking a relative what food will be served for Christmas Day.
Finley’s pelvis had been broken in two places, possibly from sustained “kicking or stamping”, and he had two burns on his left hand – one “from a hot, flat surface”, the other probably “from a cigarette lighter flame”.
He fatally collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family’s “cluttered” and filthy terraced home in Holland Road, Old Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire – with faeces later found in the bedroom.
Paramedics were called there at 2.33am on Christmas Day and Finley was taken to hospital, but despite medics’ best efforts he was pronounced dead at 3.45am.
Later Marsden, while visiting Finley’s body in a hospital chapel of rest on January 11 2021, would say: “His dad’s battered him to death. I didn’t protect him.”
Speaking after the sentence, the judge excused the jury from serving ever again.
Mrs Justice Tipples said: “Given the length of this case and the awful nature of the facts you have had to consider, I discharge you from jury service to life.”
As she spoke, at least four members of the jury were in tears, while the defendants sat, silent, unmoving, arms folded and looking on, in the nearby dock.
Boden had claimed the family dog may have “jumped on” his son, inflicting broken ribs, while a tear to the inside of Finley’s mouth likely caused by a dummy being rammed in was blamed on the child hitting himself with a rattle.
He also sent a text message two days before the child’s death saying: “I want to bounce him (Finley) off the walls.”
Jurors heard Finley was returned to the couple’s care over eight weeks by a court order, despite social workers asking for a longer transition.
A report by the family’s social worker had recommended a six-month transition – three times longer than the eight-week period which was ordered at a court hearing concerning the child’s care, in October 2020.
The pair, who did not react as the verdicts were read, will be sentenced at a later date.
Before Finley was even born, on January 21, 2020, he was made subject to a child protection order by social services due to concerns over his parents' drug use.
When a social worker visited the home she could smell cannabis and there were holes in the walls the couple accepted were from Boden punching them.
Ten days after Finley's birth on February 15, Boden and Marsden ask for him back, despite both testing positive for drugs.
Then, on October 1, despite concerns from social services, a family court orders Finley to be returned to his parents within eight weeks - Boden and Marsden are not ordered to test for drugs.
By mid-November, Finley is placed back in the care of his parents and just two days later a social worker notices a bump on his head which Marsden claims was him hitting his head on a toy - social services accepted this explanation.
Later in the same month, on November 27, a social worker sees Finley bruised - the last time one will see him alive.
Over the coming weeks, Finley is seemingly beaten and his parents refuse any attempts to let anyone else see him as he becomes increasingly unwell.
On Christmas eve, Finley is seen alive on CCTV for the final time.
