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Judiciary of England and Wales

The Queen v. Rebecca Shuttleworth

Rebecca Shuttleworth sentence 'disgrace': Monster mum who battered toddler to death could be out aged 43

25-year-old Shuttleworth, described by police as a “monster", was given a minimum tariff of just 18 years

By Adam Aspinall - Mirror.co.uk

June 26, 2013

Evil mum Rebecca Shuttleworth, who battered and tortured her two-year-old son to death, could be out of jail when she’s just 43.

The heartless killer was handed a “life” sentence yesterday for the brutal murder of little Keanu Williams.

But last night there was growing anger that 25-year-old Shuttleworth, described by police as a “monster”, was given a minimum tariff of just 18 years – meaning she could be free again in her early 40s.

Local Labour MP Khalid Mahmood stormed: “It’s disgusting that this woman, who tortured an innocent child to death, could be back on the streets so soon.

“As far as I am concerned she was allowed to take a life, so that should mean life – it’s as simple as that.”

Mr Mahmood also called for a public inquiry to ensure no more children suffer Keanu’s horrific fate.

During her trial at Birmingham crown court it was revealed that Shuttleworth beat and tortured the defenceless youngster then left him to bleed to death for TWO DAYS in 2011.

His body was found at her ex-boyfriend’s flat in Ward End, Birmingham, with a sickening catalogue of injuries, including a fist-sized tear on his stomach.

He had 37 separate injuries – some caused by a rod or stick.

Judge Justice Robin Spencer said Shuttleworth had a “cruel and vicious streak” that she would unleash on Keanu.

He told her: “You were his mother and it was your most basic and natural duty to protect him.”

The judge said no sentence he could pass would ever fill the void left by the toddler’s death.

Shuttleworth’s ex, Luke Southerton, 32, was convicted of a single child cruelty offence of biting Keanu to “teach him a lesson”.

He was given a nine-month suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work.

After the case, it was revealed a review has begun into why social workers failed to intervene.

And yesterday the city’s Safeguarding Children Board admitted there were lessons to be learned.

Jane Herald, independent chair of the board, said: “It is clear that professionals in the different agencies involved missed a significant number of opportunities to take action.”

The review into Keanu’s death will not be the first to recognise serious failings in the city’s care agencies.

In 2008, four-month-old Aaliyah Jordan-Fellows died after being thrown into her cot by her uncle, Jason Roberts, at her home in Kings Heath.

It was later revealed social services knew that Roberts, who was jailed for manslaughter, was a “risk to children” but did nothing to prevent the tot’s death.

Also in 2008 seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq was starved to death after being severely mistreated by her mother and her partner at a house in Handsworth.

She weighed just 2st 9lb when discovered.

A probe found a catalogue of errors by care agencies who could have saver her.

In 2010, after Alia Ahmed Jama, three, was stabbed to death and doused in acid by her mother at Erdington, welfare workers were also heavily criticised.

And two years ago a damning report slammed health and probation staff over the death of three-year-old Dylan Crean, who was punched and kicked to death by his mother Katie’s boyfriend.

Sickening smiles of a child killer: 'Monster' mother filmed celebrating £10,000 lottery win is jailed for 18 years for murder of her two-year-old son

• Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, went on camera with former girlfriend in Manchester

• Video filmed just months after she battered son Keanu Williams to death

• Was on bail awaiting trial in Birmingham for his murder at the time

• Screams with delight as lottery prize money is revealed

• Nods in agreement as former girlfriend says they will use it 'to go on holiday'

• She was jailed for 18 years at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday

By Andy Dolan and Martin Robinson - DailyMail.co.uk

June 25, 2013

Celebrating with her former lesbian lover as they receive a £10,000 lottery win, this is ‘monster’ mother Rebecca Shuttleworth just months after beating her young son to death.

Footage of the moment she whooped with delight at the prize emerged yesterday as the ‘cruel and vicious’ 25-year-old was sentenced to life in prison.

She had subjected two-year-old Keanu Williams to months of horrific cruelty and was ordered to serve at least 18 years.

Just eight months after his death, a two-minute video posted on YouTube by the People’s Postcode Lottery shows her hugging and kissing a former partner as a cheque is handed over.

Shuttleworth smiles as radio personality Judie McCourt discusses the pair’s plans to spend the winnings on home improvements and a holiday. The pair later separated and Shuttleworth was seen attending court with another woman she described as her partner.

A family friend yesterday hit out at the mother’s ‘sickening’ decision to celebrate in public after her son’s death. ‘It turned people’s stomachs to see her so happy after the terrible things she’d done,’ the friend said.

‘She was whooping and celebrating without a scrap of guilt. She deserves to rot in hell.’

Shuttleworth, described by police as ‘a monster’, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court after being found guilty of murder and child cruelty.

Mr Justice Spencer told the weeping child killer: ‘One can scarcely imagine the pain and distress Keanu must have suffered from this outburst of violence.’

Of the child, he added: ‘He was a delightful little boy described as a real character, a little entertainer who remained cheerful despite everything.

Joyful was the word that more than one witness used to describe him – he was a favourite at nursery as well as within the family.’

The judge said Shuttleworth, who had had a troubled upbringing and spent time in care, had shown a ‘cruel and vicious’ streak.

Keanu died of internal bleeding in January 2011 after being beaten over 48 hours at the Birmingham flat of Shuttleworth’s then partner, Luke Southerton, 32.

There were 37 signs of injury on his body, including a fractured skull.

Southerton was cleared of murder, manslaughter and causing the death of a child, but convicted of cruelty and given a nine-month suspended jail term.

As Shuttleworth wept in the dock, the judge added: 'By the jury's verdict, you alone were responsible for the violence which led to Keanu's death.

'One can scarcely imagine the pain and distress Keanu must have suffered from this outburst of violence.

'He must have been terrified, it must have been clear to you as soon as the violence had taken place that Keanu was badly in need of medical attention.'

Shuttleworth had decided not to seek medical help because she knew his injuries, including internal bleeding to his abdomen, could not be explained away, the judge said.

Explaining how he had arrived at the 18-year minimum term, the judge said the murder was aggravated by several factors.

Outlining some of the aggravating features of the case, the judge told Shuttleworth: 'Keanu was particularly vulnerable because of his age.

'His was a lingering death over many hours following a brutal assault by his own mother.

'This was the grossest abuse of a position of trust - you were his mother and it was your most basic and natural duty to protect him.

'I accept that there was no intention to kill but this was a brutal and sustained attack.'

A review has begun into why social workers failed to spot the abuse.

Keanu’s injuries were not ‘isolated’ but part of a long chain of abuse by his mother, who now faces life behind bars.

Yet Shuttleworth, 25, had duped officials into thinking she was ‘caring and competent’.

It adds to questions about children’s services at Labour-run Birmingham City Council, rated ‘inadequate’ since 2009 after deaths of children known to social workers.

Cases include that of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq, starved to death in 2008.

Last month the department was labelled ‘utter chaos’ by members of its own watchdog.

Yesterday Jane Held, head of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, which is reviewing Keanu’s death, said social services, medics and police ‘missed a significant number of opportunities to intervene’.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Shuttleworth had ‘resented’ Keanu virtually from his birth in 2008.

Shuttleworth, who was living with Keanu’s father in Torquay, Devon, saw the child as an ‘obstruction to living her life as she wanted’, the jury was told.

Prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC said she spent much of her childhood in care as her alcoholic mother struggled to cope, giving her ‘considerable experience of the care system’.

Following Keanu’s birth she received ‘extensive’ support from health and social workers, posing as an ‘attentive’ mother at parenting classes.

She moved back to her home city of Birmingham when Keanu was 15 months old, starting a relationship with Southerton.

Mr Hotten said Shuttleworth used her knowledge of the care system to ‘manipulate social workers, teachers, doctors and care professionals to believe that she was a competent and caring mother’.

She told staff at the child’s nursery his bruises came from bumps or falls.

In December 2010, she took Keanu to hospital with burned feet, which she claimed came from a radiator beside his bed.

She was told police would inspect her home, and texted Southerton to make sure their stories matched up.

A month later, paramedics found the boy dead at the flat in the deprived Ward End suburb.

The couple had dialled 999, claiming Keanu had had a heart attack.

Mr Hotten told the jury Shuttleworth hoped he would ‘get better’ and only called 999 when she realised it was hopeless.

Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Marsh, who led the investigation for West Midlands Police, said: ‘In the past, I have described her as a monster and perhaps I would stand by that.’

The force would not comment on its prior involvement in the case because of the review.

Mother Rebecca Shuttleworth Guilty Of Murdering Two-Year-Old Son Keanu Williams

HuffingtonPost.co.uk

June 24, 2013

A mother is facing a life sentence for murdering her two-year-old son after professionals failed to take action to save him from months of "horrifying" ill-treatment and abuse.

Rebecca Shuttleworth was described as a "monster" by a senior detective after being convicted of murdering Keanu Williams and four counts of child cruelty.

Shuttleworth, who will be sentenced tomorrow at Birmingham Crown Court, beat Keanu to death after apparently convincing her support worker that she had turned her life around.

The 25-year-old is also known to have explained away numerous injuries to her son by saying he had been fighting with siblings or was clumsy.

A serious case review into Keanu's death, which is expected to examine social services contact with his mother, will be published in the near future.

In a statement issued after Shuttleworth was unanimously convicted following a six-month trial, the chair of Birmingham's Safeguarding Children Board acknowledged that chances to take action had been missed.

Jane Held, the independent chair of the multi-agency Board, said: "This is an extremely sad case and my sympathies are with those who knew Keanu.

"The person responsible for his death has been held to account; following a trial Keanu's mother Rebecca Shuttleworth has been convicted of murder.

"Her partner Luke Southerton has been convicted of wilful assault."

Ms Held added: "It is already clear that there are lessons to learn from how various agencies worked together to support Keanu and his family.

"The serious case review into Keanu's death will now be completed and will be published shortly.

"This review will identify those lessons, establish what has changed since Keanu's death and importantly make recommendations on how we can further improve the safeguarding of children in Birmingham.

"While we can't go into detail prior to the review being made public, it is clear from this trial that professionals in the different agencies involved missed a significant number of opportunities to intervene and take action."

Southerton was cleared by the jury of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing Keanu's death, but convicted on one count of cruelty.

Shuttleworth closed her eyes briefly, bit her lip, looked upwards and shook her head after the jury found her guilty on all the charges she faced.

Keanu, whose body showed 37 external marks of injury, was pronounced dead on January 9, 2011, after paramedics arrived at Southerton's flat in Old Moat Way, Ward End.

Southerton, 32, and Shuttleworth, formerly of Hay Mills, Birmingham, both denied any involvement in Keanu's death at their trial.

The todder's lifeless body was found by paramedics after Southerton dialled 999, claiming the boy had stopped breathing, was pale and had not been well.

Although fatal injuries had been inflicted on the boy up to 48 hours earlier, Shuttleworth did not seek medical help before the 999 call was made at 7.42pm on January 9.

It is thought Keanu, known to his family as "Kiwi", suffered his fatal injuries after arriving with his mother to stay at Southerton's flat on January 7.

At the start of the trial, prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC told the jury Keanu's injuries were not an "isolated event" but had been the culmination of a long period of ill-treatment.

Mr Hotten claimed the fact that Shuttleworth had not sought help for Keanu "until it was too late" was potent evidence that she knew his injuries were "incapable of sensible explanation".

The majority of the bruising found by pathologists was to Keanu's lower chest and abdomen, but there were also areas of bruising to the head and back.

A post-mortem examination also identified "tramline" bruising consistent with Keanu having been struck with an object such as a stick or rod with some force.

A fist-sized tear was also found in part of Keanu's abdomen, which had caused substantial bleeding.

Shuttleworth, who faces a mandatory life term, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced alongside Southerton, who remains on bail.

Southerton, whose barrister said he would be seeking a non-custodial sentence, was convicted of one aspect of one count of child cruelty - an assault on Keanu - but unanimously acquitted of all the other charges he faced.

Speaking outside the court building, Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Marsh, who led the inquiry, said: "Whilst we have seen justice done, it does not change the fact that Keanu has lost his life in heart-breaking circumstances.

"My sympathy rests with the friends and family he left behind."

Describing the case as extremely tragic, the detective went on: "The investigation team have all worked extremely hard to find their way through the last two years.

"It's extremely difficult to understand how someone could do that to their own child.

"Rebecca Shuttleworth is clearly somebody who is not like a normal member of society. In the past, I have described her as a monster and perhaps I would stand by that.

"He suffered at the hand of his mother, who should have loved him unconditionally.

"To do the type of things that she has done to Keanu is just unthinkable."

Asked whether more could have been done by agencies involved with Shuttleworth to protect Keanu, Ms Marsh replied: "Everyone will have their own view on whether anything else could have been done.

"Perhaps the answer to that question will be in the serious case review."

Tom Rahilly, of the NSPCC, said: "This is an extremely sad and distressing case.

"It is clear that little Keanu, a defenceless toddler, had suffered unthinkable abuse and neglect at the hands of his mother Rebecca Shuttleworth for many months prior to the final, brutal beating which led to his death.

"Tragically, Keanu's short life was blighted by abuse by the person who should have cared for and protected him from harm. Today's guilty verdict means we are one step closer to gaining justice for Keanu.

"It's vital that we spot the signs of abuse and take early action to prevent harm."

The monster mother: Boy, aged two, battered to death after council staff failed to act

• Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, subjected son Keanu Williams to horrific abuse

• Shuttleworth waited up to 48 hours before calling emergency services

• Paramedics discovered the toddler's lifeless body at her boyfriend's flat in Birmingham

• Partner Luke Southerton was cleared of murder but convicted of cruelty

• Injuries were not an 'isolated event' but the culmination of a long period of ill-treatment, court told

• 'This is the worst case of child abuse I have ever seen', says lead detective

• Toddler's family say the murder has 'left a gaping hole in our lives'

By Andy Dolan - DailyMail.co.uk

June 24, 2013

A toddler who died after months of abuse from his ‘monster’ mother was failed repeatedly by social workers.

Two-year-old Keanu Williams, who was known to police and children’s services, was beaten to death by Rebecca Shuttleworth.

He had 37 injuries including bite marks, a fractured skull and a fist-sized tear in his stomach.

He was hit repeatedly with a stick or rod over 48 hours and died of internal bleeding, a post-mortem examination found.

Paramedics discovered his body at the home of Shuttleworth’s then boyfriend, Luke Southerton, 32.

A review has begun into why social workers failed to spot the abuse.

Keanu’s injuries were not ‘isolated’ but part of a long chain of abuse by his mother, who now faces life behind bars.

Yet Shuttleworth, 25, had duped officials into thinking she was ‘caring and competent’.

It adds to questions about children’s services at Labour-run Birmingham City Council, rated ‘inadequate’ since 2009 after deaths of children known to social workers.

Cases include that of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq, starved to death in 2008.

Last month the department was labelled ‘utter chaos’ by members of its own watchdog.

Yesterday Jane Held, head of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, which is reviewing Keanu’s death, said social services, medics and police ‘missed a significant number of opportunities to intervene’.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Shuttleworth had ‘resented’ Keanu virtually from his birth in 2008.

Shuttleworth, who was living with Keanu’s father in Torquay, Devon, saw the child as an ‘obstruction to living her life as she wanted’, the jury was told.

Prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC said she spent much of her childhood in care as her alcoholic mother struggled to cope, giving her ‘considerable experience of the care system’.

Following Keanu’s birth she received ‘extensive’ support from health and social workers, posing as an ‘attentive’ mother at parenting classes.

She moved back to her home city of Birmingham when Keanu was 15 months old, starting a relationship with Southerton.

Mr Hotten said Shuttleworth used her knowledge of the care system to ‘manipulate social workers, teachers, doctors and care professionals to believe that she was a competent and caring mother’.

She told staff at the child’s nursery his bruises came from bumps or falls.

In December 2010, she took Keanu to hospital with burned feet, which she claimed came from a radiator beside his bed.

She was told police would inspect her home, and texted Southerton to make sure their stories matched up.

A month later, paramedics found the boy dead at the flat in the deprived Ward End suburb.

The couple had dialled 999, claiming Keanu had had a heart attack.

Mr Hotten told the jury Shuttleworth hoped he would ‘get better’ and only called 999 when she realised it was hopeless.

Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Marsh, who led the investigation for West Midlands Police, said: ‘In the past, I have described her as a monster and perhaps I would stand by that.’

The force would not comment on its prior involvement in the case because of the review.

Southerton was cleared of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death, but convicted of cruelty yesterday after a six-month trial.

Shuttleworth, who was convicted of four counts of child cruelty as well as murder, will be sentenced alongside him today.

She has been on bail throughout the case and attended court with a woman she was heard to describe as her ‘partner’.