Life for mudering baby son » Health » 24dash.com

A drug addict who murdered his four-week-old son after "torturing" his girlfriend must serve at least 18 years in jail, a judge ruled today.

Duncan Mills, 32, of Ipswich, Suffolk, was given a life sentence after being found guilty of murdering baby Luigi Askew following a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

And Judge John Devaux said Mills should not be considered for parole until he had spent 18 years behind bars.

Mills was also convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Luigi's mother, Samantha Askew, 24.

The judge imposed a separate sentence for that offence and said Mills had to be jailed for the protection of the public.

He said Mills must serve at least three years for assaulting Ms Askew and it would then be a matter for prison and parole authorities to decide when he should be released.

A trial in February heard Mills had decided to "shut Luigi up" when the baby would not stop crying.

The little boy suffered head and abdominal injuries and died in hospital after being found covered in bruises.

Minutes before attacking his son Mills had beaten Ms Askew and left her lying on the floor.

"You went to shut him up," said Judge Devaux. "Well, you shut him up for good."

The judge added that Ms Askew had been subjected to a "sustained course of violence" during which Mills had slapped, hit and punched her while wearing a knuckle duster.

The court heard Mills had a history of violence towards women and a previous conviction for domestic abuse.

After the hearing Det Insp Stuart McCallum added: "He tortured Samantha Askew. He is a very dangerous man and it is a relief to know that he won't be harming any more women for a very long time."
Detectives and social workers said the case highlighted the risk children could be at from men who abused partners.

Suffolk County Council said it had improved the way it monitored domestic abuse in the wake of Luigi's death.

"The murder of Luigi was a terrible and tragic waste of a child's life," said Rosalind Turner, director for Children and Young People at Suffolk County Council.

"Sadly this death could not have been predicted or prevented by the agencies involved."

She added: "We all have a part to play and we urge everyone to always be vigilant and never complacent when it may be a matter of children's safety.

"We would particularly urge parents who are victims of domestic abuse to consider the impact and risk to their children and to seek help."

DI McCallum said: "There are always lessons to be learned in the way we deal with domestic abuse.

"And anyone who has any concerns at all that someone is a victim of domestic violence must tell a professional.

"People must look at what has happened in this case and see what the implications of domestic abuse can be."

Detectives said Ms Askew was so afraid of Mills that she initially invented a story about intruders breaking in and attacking her and killing Luigi.

The family lived in central Ipswich near to the home of prostitute murderer Steve Wright.

Wright was jailed for life earlier this year after being convicted of killing five Ipswich vice girls in late 2006.

Mills had denied murder.