MOTHER REBECCA LEWIS AND PARTNER ANDREW LLOYD JAILED IN SWANSEA FOR BABY'S DEATH

In December 2006, a mother was sentenced to six years in jail at Swansea Crown Court after being convicted of familial homicide in connection with her 13-month-old son. Rebecca Lewis, aged 21, was found guilty of failing to prevent the murder of her son, Aaron Gilbert, by her partner Andrew Lloyd, aged 23, in May 2005.

This prosecution was the first of its kind in Wales, under the new law of familial homicide that came into effect in May 2005. Lloyd, also from Swansea, was given a 24-year prison sentence after admitting to the murder, which resulted in Aaron's death from brain injuries.

Lewis denied the charge initially but was convicted following a four-week trial. The Swansea Crown Court heard that Lewis had begun a relationship with Lloyd after separating from Aaron’s father, Gareth Gilbert. It was revealed that although Lewis was largely absent during Lloyd’s assaults on her son, she did nothing to stop the abuse.

Lewis admitted that her son was often frightened of Lloyd, recalling how she had seen Lloyd flicking Aaron’s ears and feet when he cried, as well as lifting him by his ears and ankles before throwing him onto a bed and settee. She stated she trusted Lloyd and did not believe he would cause serious harm to the child.

On the day before Aaron died, on 5 May 2005, Lewis left her son with Lloyd for about 15 minutes to go shopping. When she returned, Aaron was found lying on the kitchen floor with Lloyd trying to revive him. Emergency services at Swansea’s Singleton Hospital and later at the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff attempted to save Aaron's life for 18 hours, but he succumbed to brain damage.

Prosecutor Paul Lewis QC described Lloyd's actions, saying he caused "a constellation of some 50 injuries," including severe swelling, bruising, extensive internal brain injuries, and a bite mark on Aaron’s face. Lloyd initially denied murdering Aaron but later changed his plea to guilty during the trial.

During sentencing, High Court judge Mr Justice Langstaff remarked that Lloyd murdered Aaron through sustained beatings over the final four weeks of his life. The judge criticized Lewis for allowing the violence to continue for her own "selfish reasons" and said she prioritized her interests over her vulnerable child, noting that she could have intervened or involved authorities to stop the abuse.

South Wales Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Paul Burke expressed satisfaction that the case had concluded, stating, "We are pleased at the outcome and relieved for the family who have been through an extremely sad and upsetting period. Perhaps now his family and friends will be able to close this awful chapter in their lives, and move on. Our thoughts are with them."

The introduction of familial homicide laws in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 aimed to target parents who remain silent or blame each other for fatal injuries inflicted on children. In a related case in south London, a 21-year-old mother received a two-year community order after being convicted of familial homicide in April 2006.

Greta Thomas, director of NSPCC Cymru/Wales, commented on the case, saying, "Without this new law it is likely that Rebecca Lewis and Andrew Lloyd would have joined a long list of couples who have been acquitted or not even brought to trial for murdering a child."