Beaten baby left to rot in cot

A crack cocaine addict who beat his one-year-old stepson to death then left his body in his cot for 18 days was today jailed for life after being found guilty of murder.

Aaron Goodman, 27, rained blows on baby Sam Back, rupturing his bowel and leaving 63 external injuries on his body including a bite mark on his leg. He then went on a drug-taking spree with Sam's mother, Emma Back, after warning her not to call the authorities saying: "If you do we'll get 30 years.

Jailing Goodman, Mrs Justice Rafferty said: "Why you beat him as you did may be something only you know. You left him to rot alone in a room for 18 days. Please God he died instantly."

Sam's aunt Wynn Gardhouse said outside court that social services had not acted properly to help Sam. "If they had done more to help I'm sure that Sam would still be with us," she said.

Members of the public cheered as Goodman was convicted of murder by an 11 to one majority and unanimously of child cruelty.

Sam's body was only found when police broke into their flat in St Leonards, East Sussex, after his worried grandparents raised the alarm.

Back's health visitor continued to try to see both Back and Sam but when she called at the flat, no one replied. The prosecution said that social services wrote to Back twice and once tried to contact her at the flat but also failed. The case was then closed.

Emma Back was found guilty of child cruelty and conspiracy to prevent a burial, having denied both charges. She was remanded in custody for reports to await sentence on 15 April.

After the trial East Sussex County Council social services said procedures had been followed. A spokesman said: "There was no concern that the baby was in any danger and it was agreed that ongoing support should be offered by midwives and health visitors."