Daniel Hardcastle, a 31-year-old man, killed his two-year-old son, Damion Russell, by beating him badly. Damion had a bite mark from an adult on his thigh, broken ribs, and bruises all over his body.
In court, they showed a sad video of Damion happily playing, as Hardcastle was found guilty of murder. Hardcastle said Damion hit his head on a coffee table, but the doctor who examined Damion said the injuries didn’t match that story.
The doctor said Damion’s injuries were from being forcefully shaken and then hitting his head on something hard, like a coffee table. Damion was taken to the hospital after the attack, but his injuries were too severe, and he died two days later.
The court also learned that Hardcastle had been drinking more and keeping away from friends and family in the weeks before the attack. Hardcastle was the only one taking care of Damion and spent all night talking online to a woman just two days before the murder.
Hardcastle, who lived in Blackpool, Lancashire, was found guilty of murder after a four-week trial. The jury only took two hours to decide he was guilty.
Detective Superintendent Al Davies said he felt very sorry for Damion’s loved ones. He said Damion deserved to be loved and protected by his father, not hurt. He stressed that Damion’s death was not an accident but caused by the serious injuries that Hardcastle intentionally inflicted.
