Stepdad Who Threw Baby Into Fire, Finally Jailed for Murder
Stepfather swung toddler into fireplace but got away with killing him for years
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A stepfather who picked up a 19-month-old boy and killed him by throwing into the fire of the family home has finally been jailed for life.
David Dearlove murdered his young stepson Paul Booth in 1968 when the toddler got up in the night for a drink, which somehow enraged the stepdad.
Dearlove escaped justice for 47 years after telling police baby Paul's death was an accident, and that he must have received the extensive head injuries by "falling out of bed" when he got up.
After getting away with his crime, Dearlove abandoned the family and started a new life, not realizing the horrific attack was witnessed.
Unbeknown to Dearlove, Paul's 3-year-old brother Peter had also crept downstairs for a drink and had witnessed the death of his infant sibling.
According to Peter, now in his 50s, his former stepfather picked up the young child in a rage and "swung" him straight into the fire in the living room, causing him fatal injuries.
Now, after years of failed attempts to reports the crime, the family have finally found justice.
Daily Mail reports: The killer avoided justice for decades until Paul's brother saw a faded photograph of the youngster being held by Dearlove on Facebook in 2015.
He told his family what he remembered about the day of Paul's death and police investigated and later arrested Dearlove.
The 71-year-old denied killing the toddler at the former family home in Haverton Hill, Stockton, telling a jury that the boy had suffered the fatal head injury by falling out of bed.
Following the highly unusual trial at Teesside Crown Court, he was found guilty today and will likely die in jail after being given a life sentence.
He will serve at least 13 years until he is eligible to apply for parole at the age of 84.
Speaking after his conviction, the victim's family said: 'Our brother and son would have celebrated his 50th birthday this year.
'Thinking about this makes us sad, as Paul would have been a man, no doubt married and more than likely with children of his own.
'However, sadly Paul was not given the opportunity to live his life due to the cruel and wicked actions of David Dearlove.'
There had been no visible reaction from the defendant when the guilty verdict was delivered, but there were gasps from the public gallery where members of his family were sitting.
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Paul died in hospital on the same night in October 1968 that Peter witnessed him being attacked.
He never regained consciousness after suffering a fractured skull and died within four hours.
A police inquiry was launched at the time after bruises and burns were found on the boy, but Dearlove was never prosecuted.
That changed in 2015 when Peter Booth, incensed after seeing the photo on Facebook of his little brother sitting on Dearlove's knee, went to the police.
It led to the former ICI-worker being arrested at home in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and being questioned in Middlesbrough.
'He killed him and destroyed his memory': Paul's family's statement
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Dearlove was 21 when he moved in with Carol Booth, now deceased, and her three children, and told the jury he liked them but did not love them.
She went on have a baby son by him, born three months after Paul died.
The couple split in 1970 and he never saw Peter again until Mr. Booth faced him in court and told the jury what he saw.
Mr. Booth and his sister Stephanie also told the jury Dearlove had been physically abusive towards them when they were small children.
Paul had a series of injuries of different ages on his body when he died.
A month before, concerns were raised by his nursery about bruises on his body and police and childcare specialists made inquiries but did not take action against the couple.
At the time, Dearlove told the authorities those injuries were caused by Paul pulling a motorbike over in the backyard.
On the night Dearlove killed Paul, he was alone in the room with the child.
He claimed the toddler had collapsed and went with Mrs. Booth in the ambulance to the hospital, returning home sometime later while the toddler remained critically ill.
He heard in a phone call that Paul was dead. An hour and a quarter after hearing the news, he told the jury, he went to bed.
Dearlove showed little emotion when he was cross-examined by Richard Wright QC, prosecuting, about that night.
Mr. Wright asked: 'The child you say you cared about and liked, a baby, had died in your home that night ... it must have been terrible.'
Dearlove said: 'I cannot remember what my feelings were.'
Mr. Wright said: 'Think back, this happy little baby you had been tossing up and down by the fire earlier in the evening, you found him with a fatal injury, and the woman you loved - Carol - had just lost her son. Was that a bit upsetting?'
Dearlove replied: 'It was probably upsetting, yes, but I cannot remember.'
In graphic evidence, a baby doll was marked up with the different injury sites and shown to the jury.
Home Office pathologist Dr. Mark Egan then hit the doll's head on a hard surface to show how the skull fracture could have been caused.
Dearlove, who had no previous convictions, moved to London after his split with Mrs. Booth and started a new life. He married, had two daughters and is now a grandfather.
After his conviction today, an NSPCC spokesman said: 'This awful crime robbed a defenseless child of his life almost 50 years ago - and Dearlove probably thought he'd long got away with his actions.'
Jurors wept as pathologist hit mannequin against witness box
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