‘Evil’ mum jailed for murdering baby son
A“pure evil” mother who murdered her own baby son has been jailed for life. Hannah Turtle, from Shotton, Flintshire, faces a minimum of 14 years and nine months behind bars after suffocating eight-weekold James Hughes.
Mr Justice Clive Lewis, sitting at Mold Crown Court said there was no premeditation – but he was not sure she intended to kill him but she did mean to cause him serious bodily harm. Turtle had denied murder, three charges of ill-treatment and two charges of administering James with her own antidepression medication in his milk.
But on Tuesday, on day seven of her trial, she admitted all offences and said that she heard voices in her head telling her that she was a “bad mother” and did not deserve the baby.
Kathleen Hughes, James’ grandmother, described Turtle as “pure evil” in court and said: “I feel that we were all taken in by Hannah and that she has ruined my family.
“It is difficult to explain exactly what I feel but it is hard to believe she did what she did to James.”
A review will now be carried out into the role of agencies involved with Turtle before she killed James. Flintshire Council said the review will be conducted by the Safeguarding Children Board.
AMUM who poisoned and murdered her baby son has been jailed for life. Hannah Turtle will have to serve a minimum of 14 years and nine months years before she could apply for parole for suffocating eight week old James Hughes.
Mr Justice Clive Lewis, sitting at Mold Crown Court, said the 22-yearold, described as “pure evil” by the baby’s grandmother, suffered from a personality disorder which reduced her culpability.
The judge said there was no premeditation – he was not sure she intended to kill him but she did mean to cause him serious bodily harm.
James was vulnerable and deserving of the protection that she as a mother should have provided: “Instead you suffocated him,” the judge said.
The baby’s grandmother Kathleen Hughes said in a victim impact statement read to the court by prosecuting barrister David Elias QC that she regarded Turtle as “pure evil”.
She could not believe what a woman who had come across as a lovely person had done to her family.
Turtle had denied murder, three charges of ill-treatment and two charges of administering James with her own anti-depression medication in his milk.
But on Tuesday, on day seven of her trial, she admitted all offences and told how she heard voices in her head telling her that she was a “bad mother” and did not deserve the baby.
Turtle received six months for cruelty and 12 months for administering a noxious substance, to be served concurrently.
The judge said that James was a “healthy, happy baby who during his short life was a source of joy and was much loved”.
“I accept that you suffered from a personality disorder at the time you killed James,” he said.
She was devoid of the emotional and thinking processes which would ordinarily prevent an individual for putting into effect such maligned thoughts of harming others.
He said that she also had an exaggerated need for attention and one of the psychiatrists said that she suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy although the precise motivation for what she had done was unclear.
Defending barrister Gordon Cole QC said she had a history of mental health problems including self-harm – which had occurred during the trial.
She had a history of taking overdoses and suicidal thoughts, had been on anti-depressant medication for years, she had a troubled background and a degree of post-natal depression.
They were no excuses for what happened, but the court could take them into account when considering her degree of culpability, he said.
During the trial, prosecuting barrister David Elias QC told the jury that after putting forward different versions of events, she accepted that she had caused his death but did not mean to do it. She told how she heard voices telling her that she was a bad mother and that she did not deserve her baby – before she went on to suffocate him.
Turtle accepted that she stopped him breathing on three occasions within a 10-day period.
It was the third episode which led to her death.
On May 31, 2016, she deliberately pinched his nose so that he was unable to breathe and he turned blue.
Paramedics were called, he received hospital treatment and he was discharged back to his family, apparently in good health.
But the following day, on June 3, when alone with her son, she deliberately suffocated him again when he became floppy. He was resuscitated, he suffered a fit on the way to hospital, and doctors could find no medical reason for his condition.
James returned home on June 6 but three days later she murdered him.
Mr Elias said that she put her hand over nose and mouth and stopped him breathing despite the fact that he was struggling against her.
James was flailing his arms about and it went on for between five to 10 minutes, he said.
She sat with his lifeless body for several minutes, went to check on her mother-in-law, went to the toilet and on her return to her room, pretended that she had just found him.
Unfortunately James did not recover from the last episode. He suffered brain damage from a devastating lack of oxygen and blood, and died in hospital on June 13 at 58 days old.
Turtle initially denied being responsible but then told a social worker and repeated it to a nurse that she had killed him.
She said she needed help and had heard voices telling her that she did not deserve James: “I wish I had never done it. I know I need help,” she said.
The jury was told that when refused permission to go to the funeral she made false allegations against her partner Ian Hughes.
But in a later letter to the police she admitted that she was responsible.
There had been delays in the trial at Mold Crown Court and half a day was previously lost when Turtle had apparently self-harmed after buying a razor at the prison shop.
She was said to have caused superficial injuries to herself.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Williams said: “We extend our sincerest condolences to baby James’ family. This has been a very difficult and traumatic case for officers to deal with, but today justice has been done.
“We have supported the family at every stage of the investigation and we admire the dignity they have shown throughout. North Wales Police has been working with the North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board which will now look to complete a Child Practice Review.”