Dad gets life for tot's murder

[Andy07]

A DAD was today jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years for murdering his three-year-old daughter in revenge for his wife's affair.

Northampton Crown Court heard Gavin Hall used anti-depressants to make little Amelia sleepy before holding a chloroform-soaked cloth over her mouth to suffocate her ? two days before her fourth birthday.

Then the 33-year-old took anti-depressants, drank wine and slashed himself before lying beside his daughter in the blood-soaked room to die, the court was told.

Hall told the court they had a moment "like Romeo and Juliet", where they sat and cuddled for over an hour before he smothered her.

He initially painted a picture of a double suicide attempt where his young daughter agreed to "come with daddy" on his journey and did not suffer at the end of her young life.

He claimed that she willingly took one of his antidepressant pills - she feeding him a pill and him her - before she slowly and peacefully fell unconscious with the effects of the chloroform.

But the evidence provided in court told a different story. Hall admitted that scratch marks on the young girl's face were caused by his fingernails as he forced the anaesthetic-soaked rag over her mouth.

The skin around her mouth and one of her eyes was burned by the effects of the chemical.

He even admitted strangling the youngster with his left hand as she lay dying in his arms.

Although the amounts of antidepressant and chloroform could have been fatal, she was actually suffocated to death.

All this was done to the little girl he called "my angel".

He had discovered that his wife Joanne, a nurse, had twice had sex in hotels with an unnamed judge she met over the internet.

He cried as prosecutor William Coker QC said the killing was a reaction to the collapse of his marriage and his wife?s affair.

Mr Coker said: "His bitterness, anger and desire to punish Joanne were obvious."

Joanne, 31, previously told The Sun how she was carrying their one-year-old daughter Lucy when she found Hall and Amelia at their home in Irchester, Northants.

She said: "Gavin was on the sofa. There was blood everywhere.

"I put Lucy down and I went up to him and shook him and pulled his hair. He groaned and got up and then flopped back down."

Joanne said she could see he had cuts to his neck and legs and then she saw Amelia, known as Millie.

She added: "She was underneath a duvet on her side. Her face was purple. I knew as soon as I saw her face she was dead. I screamed at Gavin: 'What the f*** have you done?'"

She said as she dialled 999 she discovered two of their cats dead and laid across Millie?s duvet.

She admitted there were problems in the marriage. She said sex with the judge ? whom she met after they exchanged naked photos over the web ? was "just entertainment, something to do".

Earlier, when questioned about Hall?s relationship with Millie, she said: "They were very, very close. He adored her and she thought the world of him."

Radiographer Hall denied murdering Millie but admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

Mr Coker said that as Hall prepared to kill his daughter he sent his wife text messages as she slept upstairs.

At 2.57am he wrote: "I loved you. Millie asked to stay with me. I have dealt with your deceit for two months. Now you have the rest of your life to deal with the consequences."

Then at 3.07am he sent a text to her judge lover, who is married with children, that read: "I hope you sleep well ? you better be the man Joanne needs. I no longer care."

Just before 4am he sent Joanne a text saying: "Goodbye. Millie sends her love. She died at 3.32am. She did not suffer. My pills and the chloroform saw to that. Myself, I expect to suffer. I deserve it."

To his daughter Lucy he wrote: "Sorry to take your big sister with me. Millie always loved you too and looked out for you. I couldn?t take you from your mum, she needs you now."

Finally, to his wife he said: "Bye bye for a bit. See you in Hell. I am sure I will be waiting."

Source

[AxelStone]

Wow... it makes my stomach turn a bit... dont know what makes it worse.

[spenser.d]

Reasons why I believe in capital punishment - Exhibit A: See above article.

-Spenser

[jordanspringer]

Its amazing how strong the emotion "Love" can be, and when its in the hands of people who cannot handle and control its effects, things become scary like this. Poor Poor family

[Rappy Veteran]

I saw this on the news...its really sad :(

[scumdogmillionaire]

that's not a dad... sperm provider, yes. dad, no.

[Andy07]

Its amazing how strong the emotion "Love" can be, and when its in the hands of people who cannot handle and control its effects, things become scary like this. Poor Poor family

antidepressants are evil :wacko: