An evil step mum who fatally struck her stepson and filmed him as he lay dying on the floor has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Leila Borrington, 23 of Jacksdale, Nottinghamshire was sentenced on Thursday morning after she was cleared of little Harvey Borrington's murder but found guilty of unlawful killing, wounding and assault last month, the Mirror reports.
A long standing trial heard that three-year-old Harvey, who had non-verbal autism, suffered a broken arm and a fatal head injury in August 2021. Nottingham Crown Court heard on Thursday that rather than seeking immediate help for the youngster, Borrington filmed the helpless toddler on the floor despite having two qualifications in first aid.
Instead of phoning an ambulance, she texted Harvey's dad who was out at the cinema at the time saying 'why does this happen to me?' before she contacted emergency services five minutes later. Evidence from authorities and medical professionals throughout the trial detailed how Borrington failed to protect Harvey and had struck him several times.
Prosecutor Jonas Hankin KC described Borrington's attack on Harvey as a 'sustained assault' which led to a fractured skull and a bleed on his brain. The 23-year-old was then 'calculating how she could escape responsibility for her actions while Harvey was fighting for his life'.
Mr Hankin said: "This cannot be described as a momentary lapse - it must be a sustained assault to explain the pattern and number of injuries to the head". She had a previous history of harming her stepson and the court heard she had taken advantage of the fact his non-verbal autism meant he couldn't properly express pain.
Harvey was rushed to King's Mill Hospital in Sutton-In-Ashfield in August 2021 and was transferred to Nottingham's Queen Medical Centre where he sadly died two days later as a result of serious head injuries. Harvey's heartbroken mother described her son as a 'beautiful little boy' whose grandparents had lovingly nicknamed their 'little man'.
Addressing the court, Katie Holdroyd said: ""Harvey's life was cruelly ended when he was only three years old, killed by the very person who was trusted to care for him and protect him. To this day I cannot bear to think of him lying on that floor dying with her filming him and delaying getting medical help for him."
Judge Mr Justice Nicklin told Borrington her behaviour and response to Harvey collapsing showed a 'shocking lack of care and concern' before he jailed her. Borrington, 23 was jailed for 15 years in prison for manslaughter, two years for causing GBH with intent and six months concurrent on the assault causing bodily harm offence.
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