Shropshire mother jailed for 18 years for son's murder

Lesley Speed, a mother from Shropshire, was sentenced to at least 18 years in prison for the murder of her seven-year-old son, Archie Spriggs. The court heard that Speed strangled and smothered Archie before leaving him dead in his bed and then attempted to harm herself by cutting her neck, arms, and wrist. She initially claimed that Archie had taken his own life at their home, which she shared with her partner Darren Jones in Rushbury, near Church Stretton. The murder took place on September 21 of the previous year, coinciding with a custody court hearing involving Archie’s father, Matthew Spriggs, who had applied for a residency order. Speed, 44, who had a history of depression, did not attend the hearing. During her trial, Matthew Spriggs read a victim impact statement, claiming that authorities failed to prevent the tragedy by dismissing his concerns and missing opportunities to intervene. When the verdict was read, Speed collapsed in tears, protesting her innocence by shouting, “No, no you’ve got it wrong. My kids are my life, they’re my world. Nothing would make me take their life. My kids are my world.” The incident shocked the local community, and further coverage detailed the family’s tragic dispute and the failure of authorities to prevent the tragedy, with articles emphasizing the devastation faced by Archie’s father.