Jacob Lennon: Mother and partner guilty over toddler's death in Roehampton

Jurors were told Jake Drummond sent Louise Lennon a text message saying he was putting Jacob into the "torture chamber", referring to the toddler's bedroom

A mother and her partner have been found guilty over the death of her 15-month-old boy who was shaken and beaten to death in south-west London.

Jacob Lennon was subjected to "sadistic" assaults in the weeks before his death on 27 August 2019.

At the Old Bailey, Jake Drummond, 33, of Wandsworth, was convicted of Jacob's murder and wounding with intent.

Louise Lennon, 32, of Roehampton, was convicted of child cruelty and causing or allowing Jacob's death.

The judge, Mr Justice Sweeting, continued bail for Lennon.

A sentencing date of 24 April was set.

A warning that some of the following details may be distressing.

During the trial, the jury was told the assaults leading up to the toddler's murder included a "sadistic" injury to his genitals.

Jacob's face was so swollen from beatings he looked "like a panda", the court heard, while his parents had joked his bedroom was "the torture room".

The Old Bailey heard the boy's mother called for an ambulance on 27 August, saying her son had stopped breathing and was being sick.

However, Drummond and Lennon gave false accounts about what caused Jacob's injuries, which did not match what hospital staff could see, prosecutor Sally O'Neill KC told the jury.

"His eyes were so swollen they were unable to open them," she said, adding: "His eyes were so darkly bruised he looked like a panda."

There were 20 marks from recent injuries to Jacob's head, face and neck, as well as 11 to his upper limbs, seven to his lower limbs and seven to his body including a cut and puncture injury to his genitals, the court heard.

"It is the Crown's case that Jake Drummond had embarked on a campaign of deliberately assaulting and hurting Jacob," the prosecutor said.

The court heard Jacob's injuries included bruised eyes

The couple had begun a relationship in June 2019 and Drummond began spending time at Lennon's flat in Woking Close, in Roehampton.

Drummond had a history of cocaine and cannabis use, and analysis of Jacob's blood found he had been exposed to both drugs, the trial heard.

Jacob had been known to social services since December 2018 and was on a child protection plan because of existing concerns about his biological father, the Old Bailey was told.

'Torture room'

Jurors were told five days before the killing, Drummond sent Lennon a sinister text message saying he was putting Jacob into the "torture chamber", referring to the toddler's bedroom.

The court heard this was a reference to a meme of the Hollywood actor Ben Stiller in the film Happy Gilmore, with the quote: "Now you will go to sleep or I will put you to sleep."

In another message, Lennon referred to Jacob as looking like "a little madman" because of his bruises.

A social worker tried to visit Lennon and Jacob in the week before the child's death, but when they arrived at Lennon's flat they received a text from the mother saying she and Jacob were in Hastings.

The visit was delayed until 23 August, but Lennon again texted the social worker on the day delaying the visit until 26 August, claiming she and her son were still in Hastings, the court heard.

Boyfriend's violent history

The court heard Lennon was visited by a close friend that same day, who was "extremely shocked" by Jacob's face.

Lennon lied to her, saying Jacob had fallen out of bed but had been taken to hospital and given the all-clear, the jury was told.

On the morning of 27 August, Lennon called 999 to say Jacob was vomiting and not breathing.

When police arrived, the court was told, both Drummond and Lennon said they had heard a bump and found Jacob lying on the floor, arguing he must have climbed out of the cot.

Jurors heard it was clear both defendants had agreed to lie before the call was made.

Jacob died of a head injury, and during the trial both defendants accused each other of being responsible for Jacob's death.

The court heard Drummond had a history of violence, holding a knife to his mother's throat when he was a teenager, receiving a caution for pushing an ex-girlfriend against a wall and, on the morning of Jacob's death, receiving a police warning about harassing another ex-girlfriend.

Lennon claimed she had been abused and controlled by Drummond, who told her to lie to social services and not attend hospital with Jacob.

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