A father who murdered his 14-day-old premature baby in a special care unit has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years after inflicting injuries so severe that medical experts compared them to “a fall from a multi-storey building”.
Daniel Gunter, 27, killed his son Brendon Staddon by inflicting catastrophic injuries to the infant’s head, neck, legs and jaw at Yeovil District Hospital in Somerset on 5 March last year. The baby’s skull was shattered, his neck broken, and he suffered multiple fractures throughout his tiny body in what police described as one of the most harrowing cases they had ever investigated.
Hospital staff discovered Brendon fatally injured in his cot after his mother, Sophie Staddon, 21, told nurses he felt cold at about 4am. Whilst medical staff desperately tried to save the premature infant, who weighed just 1.83kg at birth, his parents walked outside the hospital to smoke cigarettes. Brendon was pronounced dead at 4.59am, and his parents were arrested shortly afterwards.
‘Appalling’ Injuries Inflicted
Justice Swift, sentencing Gunter at Bristol Crown Court, detailed the horrific extent of the baby’s injuries, telling the killer: “Brendon sustained multiple injuries to the front of his head and face, chin, nose, eyes and cheek, to his skull, to his neck, his torso, his left hand, legs and feet – fractures caused by twisting and pulling – and significant internal bleeding.
“Put in simple terms, very severe force was brought to bear on Brendon. His skull was shattered and his neck was broken.”
The judge said one possible mechanism for the injuries was that “Brendon had been held by his legs and swung forcefully, causing his head and neck to move excessively and his head to impact multiple times on a blunt object or surface.”
Prosecutor Charles Row KC told the court the injuries were “akin to a fall from a multi-storey building”, demonstrating the sheer brutality of the attack on the defenceless infant.
Pre-meditated Murder
The judge found the murder was pre-meditated, with Gunter inflicting the fatal injuries without alerting nurses who were stationed nearby. He described Brendon as a “highly vulnerable victim” who was murdered by his own father – the very person meant to be responsible for his care and safety – whilst in a hospital setting.
Justice Swift ruled the killing involved “excessive violence” given the extent of Brendon’s injuries and the brutal manner in which they were inflicted. “The injuries were appalling,” he stated, noting that several medical experts had given evidence describing the catastrophic nature of the assault.
Gunter was convicted of murder following a three-week trial at Bristol Crown Court in July, whilst Staddon was acquitted of causing or allowing Brendon’s death. The judge told Gunter: “Brendon was your son. He was born on February 20 2024 at Yeovil District Hospital. He was born a little prematurely, at 33 weeks, but was in all other respects a healthy child.”
Family’s Devastating Loss
In a heart-breaking victim impact statement, Brendon’s grandfather Simon Gunter paid tribute to his grandson and described the devastating impact of his death on the family.
“He was so tiny but so beautiful, he was just perfect,” Mr Gunter said. “Brendon was my first grandson from my first born child. As a family, we were so happy and excited.”
He described how “time stopped still” when informed of Brendon’s death and revealed he had been unable to speak to his son Daniel since the murder. The family arranged a funeral to give Brendon “a beautiful send off”, but Mr Gunter noted poignantly: “We will never see his first crawl, his first steps or his first word. He didn’t even have a chance to give us his first smile.”
Pattern of Concerning Behaviour
During the trial, jurors heard disturbing evidence of Gunter’s behaviour in the days leading up to the murder. He repeatedly ignored nurses’ advice, taking Brendon out of his incubator without permission, overstimulating him to the point of distress, and removing his nasal gastric tube.
Family members witnessed Gunter shouting at and becoming angry with Brendon, as well as handling him roughly. His aunt, Louise Besica, testified: “I felt like he had no patience. He was really rough with him with how he was putting him in his baby grow.”
One nurse noted that in the hours before Brendon’s death, Gunter’s demeanour had changed. When she checked on the baby around 3.30-3.40am and asked if everything was alright, Gunter replied “yes, he’s alright” in what she considered an odd, unusually animated manner, “as if he didn’t want her to go over to him.”
Social Services Involvement
The court heard that authorities had planned to remove Brendon from his parents’ care when he was born due to serious concerns about their ability to parent. A social worker had visited the couple in January 2024 to inform them of this decision.
Prosecutor Charles Row KC explained: “The authorities were concerned about many things, including their precarious housing situation, the way Mr Gunter appeared to control Ms Staddon and her finances, Ms Staddon’s physical and mental health and their lack of engagement.
The court heard evidence of Gunter’s controlling and abusive behaviour towards Staddon, including dictating her finances, who she could speak to and spend time with, what and how much she ate, and when she smoked. He also questioned whether he was Brendon’s biological father.
Despite these concerns, authorities had categorised Brendon as being at risk of neglect rather than physical harm – a decision that will now be scrutinised in a forthcoming Child Safeguarding Practice Review.
Limited Mitigation
Andrew Langdon, representing Gunter, told the court his client had a very low IQ and was “immature for his age”. He described Gunter’s childhood as “disruptive”, noting he had been excluded from school after running away.
The barrister highlighted that Gunter had no previous convictions for violence, with only a caution for throwing a bottle of water over an ex-partner. However, these factors did little to mitigate the horror of his crimes.
Police Response
Speaking outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Nadine Partridge of Avon and Somerset Police described Gunter’s actions as “utterly horrific.
“There wasn’t a part of Brendon’s body that was left unharmed in this brutal assault,” she said. “Just the thought that someone could be capable of doing what Daniel did to a tiny baby is incomprehensible.”
She added that the case was “one of the most harrowing investigations our team has ever faced”, noting that Brendon’s injuries were “like nothing I’ve seen before” in her career.
Hospital Response and Review
A spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said: “This was an incredibly distressing criminal case about the murder of a vulnerable two-week-old baby while he was being cared for in Yeovil District Hospital. Our thoughts continue to be with his wider family.
“We are part of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review, along with other agencies, that will thoroughly examine the circumstances around baby Brendon’s death. It is well under way, and we await publication later this year.”
Justice Swift acknowledged the family’s grief, stating: “No sentence that I could pass today could possibly ease their grief at Brendon’s death. The sentence I pass is in no way intended as a measure of the value of his life, and I hope his family and others affected by his death will not regard it as such.”
Gunter showed no emotion as he was led from the dock to begin his life sentence, leaving behind a devastated family and unanswered questions about how such a horrific crime could occur in what should have been the safety of a hospital special care unit.
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