MICHAEL PEARCE CAERPHILLY BABY KILLER SENTENCED FOR CAUSING ALFIE SULLOCK'S DEATH IN NELSON

In July 2014, a tragic case unfolded involving Michael Pearce, a 33-year-old man from Nelson, Caerphilly county, who was ultimately sentenced to nine years in prison for the manslaughter of a six-week-old baby named Alfie Sullock. The heartbreaking incident took place during a brief period when Pearce was entrusted with caring for Alfie, the son of Donna Sullock, while she went out for her first night out since giving birth.

At the time, Pearce was looking after Alfie at his home in Nelson, Caerphilly, for approximately two hours. Donna Sullock, who was in a relationship with Pearce, had left her infant in his care, believing he would be responsible and attentive. This was a significant moment, as it marked the first time Pearce, a former motorcycle mechanic and divorcee, was left alone with Alfie. The court heard that Pearce had become increasingly obsessive in his behavior towards Ms. Sullock, even asking her to have another child early in their relationship.

On the evening of August 16, Pearce had consumed five pints of beer, four of which were drunk within a span of just 45 minutes. After drinking, he returned home and began to care for Alfie while Ms. Sullock prepared to go out. She testified that her baby was healthy and breathing normally before she left. However, shortly after her departure, concerns arose when she contacted Pearce to check on Alfie’s condition. Pearce responded with a reassuring text, saying, “you can trust me,” and sent her photographs of Alfie, claiming the baby was fine.

Less than thirty minutes after she left, at approximately 9:11 pm, Ms. Sullock called emergency services. An ambulance was dispatched, and Alfie was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Despite efforts to save him, Alfie’s life support was withdrawn four days later, and he succumbed to injuries caused by blunt trauma and extensive brain bleeding. The post-mortem revealed that Alfie had sustained around 13 injuries, including bruising across his face and abdomen, as well as a scratch injury on his penis. The injuries were consistent with being struck multiple times with a shoe and possibly a plastic bottle, as the court heard.

During the trial at Newport Crown Court, Pearce was charged with murder but was ultimately acquitted of that charge. Instead, he was convicted of manslaughter by a jury that reached a verdict with a 10-2 majority after nearly 36 hours of deliberation. The judge, Mr. Justice Baker, addressed Pearce directly during sentencing, stating, “Alfie died as a result of you having inflicted upon him multiple blunt force injuries. It may well be that due to your denials we may never know whether you were motivated by jealousy as a result of Donna’s refusal to have your child earlier that evening.”

Judge Baker further implied that Pearce was responsible for causing Alfie’s head injuries, which involved “up to 10 blows with an object that may have included a baseball boot.” The court noted that Pearce’s behavior was not the result of a momentary loss of control, as his defense team suggested, but rather a calculated act during a period of stress and exhaustion. The judge emphasized that Alfie was only in Pearce’s care for a short time, and the circumstances did not support the claim of a temporary lapse in judgment.

Donna Sullock, Alfie’s mother, expressed her disappointment with the verdict but also her relief that Pearce would face prison time. She tearfully stated outside the court, “Whatever sentence he will get, it will never be long enough for taking Alfie’s life away. We have been through a year of absolute hell.” She also described her ongoing grief and the pain of losing her child, emphasizing the devastating impact of the tragedy.

The court proceedings also revealed that Pearce had a history of criminal behavior, including a trial over a decade ago for indecent assault on a child, from which he was cleared. During the trial, the defense questioned whether Alfie’s bruising could have been caused by medical efforts to revive him or accidental injury by Ms. Sullock, but these claims were strongly disputed by Alfie’s mother and paramedics.

In the course of the trial, Pearce admitted to drinking five pints of beer that evening but claimed he had no idea how Alfie was injured. He stated that he only raised the alarm after returning from the toilet and noticing that Alfie had stopped breathing. The post-mortem confirmed that Alfie died from blunt trauma injury and extensive brain bleeding. Pearce also attempted to cover up the incident by sending photographs of Alfie to Ms. Sullock, purportedly to reassure her, but these images were likely part of his effort to conceal the severity of the injuries.

Following the verdict, Ms. Sullock, who had attended every day of the trial, expressed her disappointment but also her hope that justice had been served. She thanked her family, friends, and even strangers for their support during what she described as “a year of hell.” Pearce is scheduled to be sentenced at Newport Crown Court, where the full extent of his punishment will be determined for his role in Alfie’s tragic death.