the next guy
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A grieving mother broke down in a flood of tears today as a jury convicted her former boyfriend of killing her six-week-old son.
Michael John Pearce was home alone babysitting Alfie Rhys Sullock last year when paramedics were called to his address in Nelson, Caerphilly, south Wales.
The 33-year-old was looking after Alfie for the child's mother Donna Sullock, who went for her first night out since giving birth.
Half an hour into her night, she texted Pearce to check her son was alright. Pearce replied with a picture of Alfie to reassure her there was nothing to worry about.
A trial at Newport Crown Court heard it was the first time divorcee Pearce had been left alone with the baby. Alfie died after suffering head and abdominal injuries.
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Michael Pearce (left) who has been found guilty at Newport Crown Court of killing six-week-old Alfie Rhys Sullock (right) but he was cleared of murder
Motorcycle mechanic Pearce was today cleared by a jury of Alfie's murder, but convicted of manslaughter.
During the trial, the defendant's counsel had queried whether Ms Sullock may have accidentally hurt her son while getting ready and whether Alfie's bruising was caused by medics trying to revive him. Those two claims were both disputed in court by Alfie's mother and paramedics.
Pearce, who had drunk five pints of beer that evening, said he had 'no idea' how Alfie was injured. He said he raised the alarm after returning from the toilet and noticing Alfie had stopped breathing.
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The former holiday rep, who had clutched her son's teddy while attending every single day of her former boyfriend's trial, later said: 'We are disappointed at today’s verdict but satisfied he will still go to prison for what he has done.
'Whatever sentence he gets will never be long enough for taking Alfie's life away. We have been through a year of hell.
'Thanks to everyone for their support-friends, family, the community, people who don’t know me have given me and my family amazing support. Rest In Peace Alfie.'
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Mother Donna Sullock pictured holding her baby boy Alfie - who died in August last year while in the care of Michael John Pearce, 33
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Ms Sullock (right) broke down in tears after the jury's verdict that Pearce (left) was guilty of manslaughter
A healthy and happy Alfie was born at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), Cardiff, on July 6, 2013, following an uneventful pregnancy.
Ms Sullock, who lived in Fairwater, Cardiff, discovered she was expecting while working abroad in Crete.
She returned home to the UK, and six months into her pregnancy she became friends with Pearce following a chance meeting in Fairwater.
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Healthy and happy: Alfie was first taken to the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil before being transferred to UHW. On August 20, life support was withdrawn and Alfie died
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Donna Sullock, mother of Alfie Sullock, pictured outside Newport Crown Court
The pair later became an item, although prosecutors said Pearce began to display 'obsessive behaviour' towards her and even asked her to give him a child just weeks into their relationship.
On August 16, Ms Sullock travelled from her home in the Welsh capital to Pearce's home in Nelson to stay over the weekend.
However, magistrate's son Pearce suggested she go out with his friend's girlfriend for a 'girly night out'.
We are disappointed at today's verdict but satisfied he will still go to prison for what he has done. Whatever sentence he gets will never be long enough for taking Alfie's life away
Before then though, Pearce went out to a nearby pub and drank four pints of beer in 45 minutes. He returned home and looked after Alfie while Ms Sullock got ready.
The baby's mother said her son was healthy and breathing normally before she left. Less than half an hour into her night, a worried Ms Sullock asked if her son was doing okay.
The defendant sent a text saying: 'you can trust me'.
He also texted her photographs of Alfie during the evening claiming it was to 'reassure' her the baby was okay.
In the half an hour that followed, at 9.11pm an ambulance was called.
The seven-minute call was later played to the jury in full.
When asked by the operator did he see what happened, the defendant replied he had simply given the baby a bottle and then the child had stopped breathing.
Earlier during the case, prosecutor Michael Mather-Lees said: 'Children do not go cold instantly.'
Alfie was first taken to the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil before being transferred to UHW. On August 20, life support was withdrawn and Alfie died, the court heard.
A Home Office pathologist later gave a provisional cause of death as 'blunt trauma head injury'.
Following the completion of the case, Ms Sullock wished to thank family, friends as well as total strangers for their 'amazing support' during her 'year of hell'.
Pearce will be sentenced at Newport Crown Court tomorrow.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...oked-mother-went-night-out.html#ixzz38t0rqPau
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Michael John Pearce was home alone babysitting Alfie Rhys Sullock last year when paramedics were called to his address in Nelson, Caerphilly, south Wales.
The 33-year-old was looking after Alfie for the child's mother Donna Sullock, who went for her first night out since giving birth.
Half an hour into her night, she texted Pearce to check her son was alright. Pearce replied with a picture of Alfie to reassure her there was nothing to worry about.
A trial at Newport Crown Court heard it was the first time divorcee Pearce had been left alone with the baby. Alfie died after suffering head and abdominal injuries.
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Michael Pearce (left) who has been found guilty at Newport Crown Court of killing six-week-old Alfie Rhys Sullock (right) but he was cleared of murder
Motorcycle mechanic Pearce was today cleared by a jury of Alfie's murder, but convicted of manslaughter.
During the trial, the defendant's counsel had queried whether Ms Sullock may have accidentally hurt her son while getting ready and whether Alfie's bruising was caused by medics trying to revive him. Those two claims were both disputed in court by Alfie's mother and paramedics.
Pearce, who had drunk five pints of beer that evening, said he had 'no idea' how Alfie was injured. He said he raised the alarm after returning from the toilet and noticing Alfie had stopped breathing.
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The former holiday rep, who had clutched her son's teddy while attending every single day of her former boyfriend's trial, later said: 'We are disappointed at today’s verdict but satisfied he will still go to prison for what he has done.
'Whatever sentence he gets will never be long enough for taking Alfie's life away. We have been through a year of hell.
'Thanks to everyone for their support-friends, family, the community, people who don’t know me have given me and my family amazing support. Rest In Peace Alfie.'
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Mother Donna Sullock pictured holding her baby boy Alfie - who died in August last year while in the care of Michael John Pearce, 33
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Ms Sullock (right) broke down in tears after the jury's verdict that Pearce (left) was guilty of manslaughter
A healthy and happy Alfie was born at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), Cardiff, on July 6, 2013, following an uneventful pregnancy.
Ms Sullock, who lived in Fairwater, Cardiff, discovered she was expecting while working abroad in Crete.
She returned home to the UK, and six months into her pregnancy she became friends with Pearce following a chance meeting in Fairwater.
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Healthy and happy: Alfie was first taken to the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil before being transferred to UHW. On August 20, life support was withdrawn and Alfie died
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Donna Sullock, mother of Alfie Sullock, pictured outside Newport Crown Court
The pair later became an item, although prosecutors said Pearce began to display 'obsessive behaviour' towards her and even asked her to give him a child just weeks into their relationship.
On August 16, Ms Sullock travelled from her home in the Welsh capital to Pearce's home in Nelson to stay over the weekend.
However, magistrate's son Pearce suggested she go out with his friend's girlfriend for a 'girly night out'.
We are disappointed at today's verdict but satisfied he will still go to prison for what he has done. Whatever sentence he gets will never be long enough for taking Alfie's life away
Before then though, Pearce went out to a nearby pub and drank four pints of beer in 45 minutes. He returned home and looked after Alfie while Ms Sullock got ready.
The baby's mother said her son was healthy and breathing normally before she left. Less than half an hour into her night, a worried Ms Sullock asked if her son was doing okay.
The defendant sent a text saying: 'you can trust me'.
He also texted her photographs of Alfie during the evening claiming it was to 'reassure' her the baby was okay.
In the half an hour that followed, at 9.11pm an ambulance was called.
The seven-minute call was later played to the jury in full.
When asked by the operator did he see what happened, the defendant replied he had simply given the baby a bottle and then the child had stopped breathing.
Earlier during the case, prosecutor Michael Mather-Lees said: 'Children do not go cold instantly.'
Alfie was first taken to the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil before being transferred to UHW. On August 20, life support was withdrawn and Alfie died, the court heard.
A Home Office pathologist later gave a provisional cause of death as 'blunt trauma head injury'.
Following the completion of the case, Ms Sullock wished to thank family, friends as well as total strangers for their 'amazing support' during her 'year of hell'.
Pearce will be sentenced at Newport Crown Court tomorrow.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...oked-mother-went-night-out.html#ixzz38t0rqPau
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
fukk all this baby killin shyt