12 years for ex-soldier who killed partner's baby after she treated him '˜like doormat'

A 26-year-old man who shook his partner's baby son to death has been jailed for 12 years by a judge who said he was treated as 'doormat' by the boy's mother.
Laura Ostle, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyLaura Ostle, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
Laura Ostle, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

James Larkin was told by a judge that he was “devoted and loving father” to Christopher Larkin, even though he was not his biological parent.

But Mrs Justice Andrews said Christopher’s wider family may never know what caused former Territorial Army soldier Larkin to “snap” and kill the little boy, who was just under three months old when he died in September 2014.

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A jury at Sheffield Crown Court heard that Christopher died in hospital a day after he was violently shaken by Larkin at the house he shared with the baby’s mother, Laura Ostle, in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

James Larkin, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyJames Larkin, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
James Larkin, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

The judge said the defendant had given a variety of different accounts of what happened and did not give evidence in his trial.

But she said she rejected the assertion made by his lawyers that he had panicked and shook Christopher in a medical emergency.

She said: “Christopher’s wider family may never find out what really happened on the morning of September 16 2014 or what is was that caused you to lose control and shake him so violently.”

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The judge said medical evidence showed the baby was shaken extremely violently and, talking about one witness who demonstrated to the court how Larkin had shown her what he did to the baby, said it would be “very difficult to erase that graphic image from our memories”.

James Larkin, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyJames Larkin, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
James Larkin, from Doncaster, at Sheffield Crown Court. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

She said what Larkin did was “not the action of man gripped by panic, endeavouring to save a life, but the action of man who had been driven by anger, frustration, exasperation, or combination of all three, to completely lose his self control”.

The judge said: “This is, by any standards, a most unusual case.

“Tragic thought it undoubtedly is, it is far removed from the sadly all-too-common picture of a helpless child being subjected to sustained abuse over their short lifetime and then eventually killed by an uncaring or sadistic step-parent.

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“On the contrary, the evidence in this case, without exception, portrays you as a kind, loving and caring towards the (the boy).”

She said the “most extraordinary feature of the case” was the relationship between Larkin and Ostle, 21.

The judge said neighbours described Larkin as “not quite the full shilling” and “childlike”.

She said: “There is no doubt that Laura was the dominant partner in the relationship from the outset and that, not to put too fine a point on it, she made use of you.”

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The judge said Larkin cleaned the house, did most of the childcare and was the butt of Ostle’s belittling comments.

She said he suffered a black eye at Ostle’s hands and he was so afraid of confrontations with her that he once hid in a cupboard and, on an another occasion, in a visiting handyman’s van.

The judge said Larkin was also “extraordinarily tolerant” of relationships Ostle had with other men.

Outlining one with a man she met online, she said: “You tolerated her bringing him back to the house and his staying overnight in her room and were civil to him when you met.”

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The judge said: “Indeed, shortly before 6am on the morning that Christopher was injured - possibly while you were sitting in bed next to her feeding the baby, though you could have been downstairs preparing his bottle - Laura was continuing to engage in flirtatious texting with a man she had never met.”

The court heard Ostle had been diagnosed with an attachment disorder but the judge said to Larkin: “It does not account for her treating you like a doormat.”

But she told Larkin she did not believe that he reacted to finding any message to Ostle and said it was “blindingly obvious to a parent” that you should not shake a baby.

Larkin, of Crawshaw Road, Doncaster, was found guilty of manslaughter after a trial which finished last week.

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Both Larkin and Ostle, of Broadway, Dunscroft, Doncaster, were found guilty of perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Ostle was jailed for 18 months alongside Larkin on Monday.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Stopford said: “The sentences passed today can never bring back the young life that was taken, but I am pleased that both Larkin and Ostle are behind bars.

“This has been a lengthy and upsetting investigation for all concerned and I repeat my thanks to the members of the jury, who had to sit through weeks of distressing medical evidence and to the officers in this case, who have worked tirelessly to get justice for the young victim.”