Father guilty of murdering premature baby in Yeovil hospital

Warning: This article contains details that some may find distressing, including details of severe injuries.

A father has been found guilty of murdering his two-week old baby on a neonatal ward.

Brendon Staddon, who was born prematurely at 33 weeks, suffered multiple injuries including a fractured skull, a broken neck, a broken jaw and broken legs in Yeovil District Hospital’s special care baby unit on 5 March 2024.

His father Daniel Gunter, 27, of no fixed address, denied harming him, but was convicted of murder at Bristol Crown Court earlier. He will be sentenced on 3 October.

Brendon’s mother, Sophie Staddon, was acquitted of a lesser charge of causing or allowing the death of a child and was told by the judge she “was free to go”.

A female juror was visibly upset as the foreman returned the verdicts and as she wiped tears away, she was comforted by two fellow jury members.

The defendants showed no emotion as the verdicts were returned.

Following the verdict, Brendon’s grandfather Simon Gunter said his grandson – who the court was told weighed “less than a couple of bags of sugar” – had been “so tiny, but so beautiful”.

“As a family, we were so happy and excited,” he said, explaining that the family had bought toys and clothes in their excitement for his arrival.

“But, we have been robbed of a life of memories of Brendon,” he added.

“We won’t get to see his first steps, hear his first words, take him on his first holiday and see him grow into a young boy then a man. We will never have those memories. They have been taken from us and he will never be replaced.

“I hope Daniel gets what he deserves for what he did to Brendon but, whatever the outcome, it will never bring him back.”

During his short life, nursing staff at the Somerset hospital said they had many concerns about Brendon’s parents’ behaviour, particularly Gunter’s repeated rough handling of him, Bristol Crown Court was told.

The jury was told that while in hospital, Gunter repeatedly ignored the advice of nurses, taking Brendon out of the incubator without asking, overstimulating the child to the point of causing him distress, and removing his nasal gastric tube.

A medical expert told the trial that Brendon’s injuries were consistent with his head being swung against a hard surface “more than once” while he was held by his ankles.

Ch Insp Nadine Partridge, of the major crime investigations team at Avon and Somerset Police, said the case was one of the most challenging of her 22-year career as a detective and described Gunter’s actions as “evil”.

She said having to view the post-mortem injuries had been very distressing for investigators.

“The extent of the injuries are nothing I’ve ever seen before. Brendon’s little tiny precious body at just two weeks old, there wasn’t any part of him that wasn’t harmed,” she said.

The jury heard Gunter was seen getting angry with Brendon while changing his nappy and threatened to make formal complaints about nursing staff when they tried to intervene.

Nurses also feared Ms Staddon was being controlled by Gunter because he would speak for her and order her meals, jurors were told.

Brendon was born on 20 February, but the couple left the hospital on 29 February and did not return until the afternoon of 4 March.

At about 04:00 GMT the following morning, Ms Staddon told nurses she had awoken to find Brendon “cold”. Doctors think he would have been dead for at least 30 minutes before the alarm was raised.

While doctors tried to resuscitate him, Gunter said he and Ms Staddon were going outside “for air” and they both went to smoke, the court heard.

Neither Gunter or Ms Staddon gave evidence during the trial.

Ch Insp Partridge said Gunter had been more concerned about his phone and vape being taken when he was arrested, and had never asked after Brendon.

“Daniel’s not shown any remorse whatsoever on his arrest or during his police interviews,” she said.

Following the verdict she added: “Brendon was failed in life. In death, justice is the only protection we can still offer him.

“Cases where both the victim and the defendant are related in some way are among the most challenging for us as police.

“I would like to firstly give my condolences to Brendon’s grandparents and their wider family, who we have supported through specialist family liaison officers.”

Following the verdict a spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said it has been an “incredibly distressing” case in which its colleagues gave evidence about their interactions with Gunter and Ms Staddon.

“We are part of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review, along with other agencies, that will thoroughly examine the circumstances around baby Brendon’s death,” they added.

“It is well underway and will be published in the autumn.”