LIAM DEANE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON IN WAKEFIELD FOR BRUTAL INFANT MURDER

In September 2017, Liam Deane, a 22-year-old man from Wakefield, was convicted of the horrific murder of his two-day-old daughter, Luna. The incident occurred at their home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where Luna was left in her mother Karen Bissett’s care while she went to sleep. During the night, Deane lost his temper when Luna continued crying and launched an violent assault on her.

Prosecutor Michael Smith explained that Luna suffered severe injuries to her brain, face, and body. Smith stated, "He said he was responsible for all of the injuries that she had suffered and he said that Luna had not settled down and he lost control." The baby, born on July 9 that year, was found with a swollen and bruised face after Deane contacted his mother, claiming Luna was having difficulty breathing and had fallen.

Paramedics responded to the emergency call and upon arrival, they observed her face was badly swollen and bruised. Luna was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary, where she tragically died in intensive care on July 14, just three days after the attack. A medical examination concluded that her death was caused by head trauma resulting in catastrophic brain injuries.

Following his arrest, Deane broke down during police interviews and admitted to attacking Luna. He confessed to punching her in the face, squeezing her arms and body, and shaking her.

Deane’s legal representative, Richard Wright QC, expressed that his client’s actions were inexplicable. During the court proceedings, Wright read a victim statement on behalf of Luna’s mother, which said: "Seeing Luna on life support in the hospital will last with me forever. I can’t describe how that felt. I would not wish it upon my worst enemy."

On sentencing, Deane was given a life sentence with a minimum term of ten years to serve before eligibility for parole.