THUrs, feb 02, 2023
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Could Stocksbridge rugby make it 4 home wins in a row? police appeal - page 05
What’s on - page 08
father found guilty of murdering his baby son Leon Mathias, 33, had been accused of shaking to death nineweek-old Hunter at their home in November 2018 in a "moment of frustration". A Sheffield Crown Court jury convicted him of murder on Monday after more than 27 hours of deliberations.
ABOVE: Leon Matthias, convicted of murder. RIGHT: Hunter Mathias collapsed and stopped breathing at his home in Barnsley. Three days later he died in hospital. He was nine weeks old.
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On Friday 30 November 2018, shortly before 7.45pm, Hunter Mathias collapsed and stopped breathing at his home in Barnsley. Three days later he died in hospital. He was nine weeks old. This week after a 13-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court, his father, Leon Mathias, was convicted of his murder. The jury majority determined that Mathias, now 34, had deliberately killed Hunter in a momentary loss of control,
when they were upstairs alone, and the baby was crying. Mathias then alerted Hunter’s mum who was sat downstairs with a friend, that something was wrong. The nine-week-old was taken to Barnsley District General Hospital where hospital staff fought to resuscitate him. However, his brain injury was so severe, and his brain had swollen so significantly, they were unable to save him. Hunter died in Sheffield Children’s Hospital on Monday 3 December 2018. Throughout the course of the trial, the court heard from a total of 14 medical experts about the injuries Hunter had suffered in his short life. He had a number of fractures and bruising to his head at the time of his death.
Speaking after the verdict, Senior Investigating Officer, DCI Mark Oughton said: “This has been a protracted and complex investigation and trial, and I welcome the decision reached by the jury today. “We will never know exactly what happened during Hunter’s bath time on 30 November 2018; what we do know is that he suffered catastrophic injuries at the hands of his father. I am pleased justice has been served today.” Mathias was found guilty of murder by a 10-2 majority verdict, and not guilty of Section 18 assault. He will return to Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday 2 February for sentencing.
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