A mum and her partner have been jailed for murdering nine-year-old Alfie Steele after a horrific campaign of violence against him, which included being held down in freezing cold baths.
Carla Scott and fiancé Dirk Howell were found guilty of killing little Alfie earlier this week and were sentenced at Coventry Crown Court today.
Career criminal Howell was caged for a minimum term of 32 years for murder and Scott was handed sentences totalling 27 years for child cruelty and manslaughter.
Alfie was repeatedly beaten with weapons as a punishment at his home in February 2021, prior to his tragic death.
The evil pair subjected him to sick assaults and would often force him into cold baths as part of a cruel and "sinister" means of discipline.
Earlier this week, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC told Coventry Crown Court Howell and Scott would hit Alfie with "belts, or a slider, like a heavy-duty flip flop, and use other more sinister forms of punishment".
The tragic youngster was found with 50 injuries all over his body, with only a few likely to be due to normal childhood accident.
Alfie was found dead on at his home on Vashon Drive, Droitwich, Worcs, on February 18, 2021, and Scott made a 999 call claiming her son had "fallen asleep" in the bath and drowned.
Scott and Howell were convicted after a six-week trial.
Sentencing, Judge Mark Wall KC said: "I have no doubt this is a killing of which the seriousness is particularly high.
"That is because it is the murder of a child, involving sadistic conduct and his death was the culmination of a series of cruel and violent acts towards him.
"What is clear is that Alfie did not have the quiet death that you tried to portray. His death was violent and brutal.
"Alfie tried to say no, called in vain for his grandfather to help and resisted to get into the bath and maybe it was that resistance that sealed his fate.
"Alfie died either through drowning, concussive head trauma or mechanical asphyxia. For the purpose of this sentence it does not matter which.
"The true cause of his death was your cruel misconduct towards him.
"It was also due to your failing to call the authorities sometime after his death. You Miss Scott told police there was an hour or more before calling the police
"Had you called the authorities immediately as any parent would have done you would have no made the mistake on timings.
"You delayed as you needed that time while Alfie laid dead to try to conceive what you had done.
"You did this by putting him in a warm bath to warm him up and to get your stories straight."
The judge described Howell as a 'bully' with an 'uncontrollable temper' and said neither had shown any remorse for their actions.
He added: "Neither of you has shown any remorse for your actions.
"You Howell, I have no doubt are a cruel man with a fiery and uncontrollable temper. Anyone who crossed you was met with threats.
"You are a man who likes to control his environment and everyone in it. This attitude explains your repeated abuse.
"You are a bully. And I'm sure you got pleasure from inflicting pain and discomfort.
"You introduced into that household the cruelty that led to Alfie's death."
Addressing Scott, he added: "Your first thought was to protect your co-accused.
"You had a need for male companionship even of the inadequate type on offer by Howell above your duty to protect your children.
"You were capable of resisting this had you wanted to do so. It is revealing you have maintained your relationship after he killed your son.
"You were capable of standing up to him and chose not to do so with fatal results for your own son."
In a victim impact statement earlier read out to court, Alfie's granddad Paul Scott said: "The loss of my grandson has affected me greatly.
"On the day of Alfie's death I remember arriving at the house and was kept waiting, I wasn't informed of anything and was made to sit in my car.
"I saw Alfie's lifeless body being carried to the helicopter. When I was told that Alfie had passed away I didn't know what to do with myself.
"I thought if I shouted loud enough that it wouldn't be true, and since then it has felt like a nightmare.
"I was so close to Alfie, I remember all the things he loved. He used to make me smile, I was so proud of him.
"It hurts that he won't be able to make his own decisions and that I won't be able to guide him in the right direction.
"Alfie was like a mini me and I was going to make sure that he was going to be the best person.
"I feel like I've let Alfie down. I have been told Alfie's last words were him shouting for me and this pains me.
"When in the bath I sometimes find myself under the water. I cannot breathe, I am gulping water and I do it until I feel I'm about to pass out. It is at this point that I feel so close to Alfie.
"Seeing Alfie in the mortuary really affected me. My mind plays tricks on me remembering this.
"I think I can hear him calling me and shouting for my help.
"I'll never be able to cuddle him.
"My precious grandson Alfie was a charming, inquisitive and kind young boy whose kindness and cheeky smile was enough to melt your heart.
"He knew how to make you laugh and cry joyous tears. Now he's been taken away from us.
"Now that he's gone I can no longer sleep as when I close my eyes I have thoughts of him screaming for me to save him."
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