SCOTT JEFF'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN IPSWICH: CHILD'S MURDER AND ABUSE SHOCKS COMMUNITY

A tragic and disturbing case has resulted in the imprisonment of Scott Jeff, a 24-year-old man from Ipswich, who was convicted of the brutal murder of his partner's two-year-old daughter, Isabella Jonas-Wheildon. Jeff was sentenced to serve a minimum of 26 years behind bars as part of a life sentence, reflecting the severity of his crime. The court heard that Isabella was found in Ipswich on 30 June 2023 with injuries described as 'traumatic,' and her death was the culmination of sustained physical abuse.

Her mother, Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, also 24, received a sentence of 10 years after admitting to causing or allowing the child's death. During the trial at Ipswich Crown Court, it was revealed that the couple, originally from Bedfordshire, had carried Isabella's lifeless body around in a pushchair for several days after her death on 26 June. Instead of reporting her death to authorities, they fled from Ipswich, attempting to conceal their involvement in her tragic demise.

Photographs presented in court showed Scott Jeff wearing a grey sweatshirt and looking directly at the camera, while Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell was seen in a navy sweatshirt with her long brown hair. The images, sourced from Suffolk Police, accompanied the court proceedings following a seven-week trial that brought to light the horrifying details of the case.

In addition to the murder charge, both Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell were sentenced to three months each for cruelty related to cannabis and six months each for cruelty involving cocaine, with these sentences to run concurrently. Notably, Gleason-Mitchell was acquitted of murder in November, but her involvement in the abuse was acknowledged.

High Court Judge Mr Justice Neil Garnham delivered a stern and condemning statement, emphasizing the vulnerability of the two-year-old girl. He described the violence inflicted upon Isabella as 'monstrous' and expressed his disappointment in Gleason-Mitchell's failure to protect her. The judge stated, 'There she was, a two-year-old child, totally dependent on the two of you. Jeff, you subjected that defenceless little girl to a brutal campaign of violence and those attacks were monstrous. She feared what was going to happen next.'

He further criticized Gleason-Mitchell, calling her 'weak and spineless,' and lamented the devastating impact of her death on Isabella's family. The court heard from Isabella's father, Thomas Wheildon, who described her as 'the most wonderful addition' to his life. He expressed profound grief, stating, 'When she died, a part of me died, and my entire world came crashing down. I am a shell of the man I once was. Isabella was perfect in every way and had a life so full of promise, but now all my dreams for her will never be realized.'

The trial revealed that the abuse began shortly after Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell left their hometown of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, under the influence of drugs, and traveled to the Norfolk coast. They stayed at the St George Hotel in Great Yarmouth, then slept in a tent on Caister-on-Sea beach, and later spent three nights at a caravan park. By 19 June, they had moved into the East Villas housing complex in Sidegate Lane, Ipswich, falsely claiming they were fleeing domestic violence.

Tragically, just a week after moving into the Ipswich residence, Isabella was dead. Instead of seeking help or reporting her death, the couple continued to live as if she was alive. Court evidence showed that her body was treated with callousness, with a shopping bag casually placed on top of her in the pushchair. CCTV footage, viewed by the BBC, depicted Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell wheeling her lifeless body around Ipswich while engaging in everyday activities such as shopping, drinking, and taking cocaine.

The court was told that the alarm was raised only when Gleason-Mitchell confided in a friend, Joanne Gardner, on 29 June, revealing that Isabella had been dead in her pushchair for about three days. The following day, the couple abandoned her body and left their flat, taking a bus into town before going to McDonald's and a pub. They later visited the Corn Exchange pub in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, where they spent hours drinking and laughing before being arrested on 1 July.

Legal representatives for the accused provided mitigating arguments. Sasha Wass KC, representing Gleason-Mitchell, acknowledged her failure to protect her daughter but emphasized her deep love and immense grief. Christopher Paxton KC, defending Jeff, cited his 'immaturity' as a mitigating factor, though he admitted that no justification could be made for the violence inflicted upon Isabella.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Powell from the joint investigation team of Suffolk and Norfolk police described the case as 'truly shocking' and 'abhorrent.' He highlighted the rapid escalation of abuse and the horrific injuries sustained by Isabella, including injuries comparable to those seen in high-velocity traffic accidents or severe horse kicks. A bone pathologist, Professor Anthony Freemont, testified that he had never encountered such severe pelvic injuries in a child in his 40-year career.

The injuries ultimately led to Isabella's death from a bone marrow embolism caused by skeletal trauma. The police described the injuries as 'truly horrific,' and the investigation revealed a pattern of psychological torment and physical violence inflicted by Jeff, who was known to have an 'evil temper.'

The abuse began after Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell, under the influence of drugs, left their home in Biggleswade and traveled to the Norfolk coast. Their journey included stays at the St George Hotel in Great Yarmouth, sleeping in a tent on Caister-on-Sea beach, and spending nights at a caravan park. By 19 June, they had moved into the East Villas housing complex in Ipswich, falsely claiming they were fleeing domestic violence. Just a week later, Isabella was dead, yet the couple continued to act as if she was alive, even wheeling her body around in a pushchair while engaging in normal activities.

The court heard that her body was treated with disdain, with a casual placement of a shopping bag on top of her in the pushchair. CCTV footage showed Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell shopping, drinking, and taking drugs with her body in tow. The tragic truth only emerged when Gleason-Mitchell admitted to her friend that Isabella had been dead for days. The couple's actions culminated in their arrest after a day of shopping and socializing in Bury St Edmunds.

Following the sentencing, a review was initiated into the multi-agency safeguarding approach that failed to prevent this tragedy. A statement from the safeguarding children partnerships of Central Bedfordshire, Suffolk, and Norfolk expressed their condolences and emphasized the importance of learning from such cases to prevent future tragedies. The case of Isabella Jonas-Wheildon remains a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of child abuse and neglect.