Little Alfie Steele begged for his granddad to help before he was murdered by his mother’s boyfriend: Nine-year-old’s grandfather says he is haunted by phantom calls for help as evil killers are jailed
- Dirk Howell and Carla Scott were sentenced today at Coventry Crown Court
- Catalogue of potential opportunities to save little Alfie were missed, court told
Alfie Steele’s grandfather said today he was haunted by being told that the tragic nine-year-old’s ‘last words were him shouting for me’.
Little Alfie was beaten, ‘dunked’ in cold bath water, locked out of the house or in a shed and whipped with leather belts by his mother, Carla Scott and her career criminal boyfriend, Dirk Howell.
The couple were jailed today for 27 years and 32 years respectively, as the harrowing abuse suffered by the schoolboy in lockdown was laid bare.
A judge told the killers today: ‘What is clear is that Alfie did not have the quiet death that you tried to portray. His death was violent and brutal.
‘Alfie tried to say no, called in vain for his grandfather to help and resisted to get into the bath and maybe it was that resistance that sealed his fate.’
Alfie’s grandfather, Paul Scott, said the loss of the ‘charming’ boy had left him unable to sleep and haunted by phantom calls for help.
Alfie Steele (pictured) called in vain for his grandfather to help while being abused prior to his death, a court heard
In a victim impact statement earlier read out to court, Paul Scott spoke of the impact the loss of his grandson had on him
He said: ‘I saw Alfie’s lifeless body being carried to the helicopter. When I was told that Alfie had passed away I didn’t know what to do with myself.
READ MORE: Mother and her partner are jailed for killing Alfie Steele
‘I thought if I shouted loud enough that it wouldn’t be true, and since then it has felt like a nightmare.
‘I was so close to Alfie, I remember all the things he loved. He used to make me smile, I was so proud of him.
‘It hurts that he won’t be able to make his own decisions and that I won’t be able to guide him in the right direction.
‘Alfie was like a mini me and I was going to make sure that he was going to be the best person.
‘I feel like I’ve let Alfie down. I have been told Alfie’s last words were him shouting for me and this pains me.’
The ‘gorgeous’ schoolboy was found unresponsive in cold bathwater at the new-build housing association property where he lived with Scott and Howell in Droitwich, Worcestershire, in February 2021 during the third national lockdown.
February 18 had been yet another day on which the couple had decided that Alfie was ‘to be tortured’, the judge said.
The six-week trial was told Alfie was denied food as an act or cruelty and routinely subjected to other ‘sinister’ punishments, including being locked outside his Vashon Drive home in cold weather, and made to stand in a statue-like pose.
The judge told the killers: ‘Alfie died either through drowning, concussive head trauma or mechanical asphyxia.
‘For the purpose of this sentence, it does not matter which. The true cause of his death was your cruel misconduct towards him.’
Dirk Howell is pictured on police body-cam footage being arrested at a railway station shortly after Alfie’s death
Jurors at Coventry Crown Court took ten hours and 13 minutes to find Scott (left) guilty of Alfie’s manslaughter, returning a majority verdict of 11 to one, but cleared her of murder. Howell (right) was found guilty of murder by a unanimous verdict
Alfie was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham after he was found in a critical condition at his home. Pictured: Flowers and tributes left outside the home of Alfie
During the trial, jurors heard how chances were missed to save the schoolboy, who was often left ‘black and blue’ by beatings, as neighbours repeatedly raised concerns with police and social services.
The death became the latest addition to a heartbreaking roll call of children killed during the pandemic which includes Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, Finley Boden, Logan Mwangi and Star Hobson.
Mr Scott added: ‘When in the bath I sometimes find myself under the water. I cannot breathe, I am gulping water and I do it until I feel I’m about to pass out. It is at this point that I feel so close to Alfie.
‘Seeing Alfie in the mortuary really affected me. My mind plays tricks on me remembering this.
‘I think I can hear him calling me and shouting for my help. I’ll never be able to cuddle him.
‘My precious grandson Alfie was a charming, inquisitive and kind young boy whose kindness and cheeky smile was enough to melt your heart.
‘He knew how to make you laugh and cry joyous tears. Now he’s been taken away from us.
‘Now that he’s gone I can no longer sleep as when I close my eyes I have thoughts of him screaming for me to save him.’
Concerned neighbours and even passers-by in the street reported the treatment doled out by Howell, 41 Scott, 35, to police, social services, the council and Alfie’s school.
But despite Alfie being on the radar of social services since he was a young boy, a catalogue of potential opportunities to save the youngster were missed.
Alfie’s mother Carla Scott, 35, (pictured) has been handed jail sentences totalling 27 years
Howell can be seen rushing across the bridge over the railway tracks before trying to board a stationary train before he was arrested by police for murdering his stepson
West Mercia Police today promised to learn lessons from the tragic case.
In a statement outside court, Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Leighton Harding, said: ‘We are aware that the family were known to West Mercia Police and other agencies prior to Alfie’s death.
‘The jury heard evidence of 999 calls from neighbours and reports from other people regarding concerns over Scott and Howell’s conduct and treatment of Alfie, which led to Police and other agencies having contact and involvement with the family in the months before Alfie’s death.
‘I recognise the concerns and questions this raises. I can provide assurance that West Mercia Police is committed to reviewing its involvement with the family and engagement with other agencies through a Child Safeguarding Practice Review commissioned by Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership.
‘We are committed to learning lessons from Alfie’s tragic death and will fully engage with the review. An independent reviewer has already been appointed and will continue the review at pace now that the criminal case has ended.
‘Once completed, the author will publish their report, therefore until that time I would not wish to speculate on its potential findings.’
Heartbreaking rollcall of children who became victims of lockdown
The Covid-19 lockdown has produced a heartbreaking rollcall of children who became victims of tragic deaths at the hands of those who are meant to take care of them.
Two-year-old Lola James was tragically killed by her evil stepfather, suffering 101 injuries including brain damage similar to what is sustained in high-speed car-crashes.
The little girl was victim to a ‘frenized and extremely violent attack’ on July 17, 2020 at her home in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, by her mother Sinead James’ new partner Kyle Bevan, 31. She died four days later.
Young Logan Mwangi, five, was killed by his mother, stepfather and stepbrother on July 31, 2020 after suffering ‘catastrophic’ internal injuries. His body was found in the River Ogmore near his home in Sarn, Bridgend County.
Star Hobson was only 16 months old when she was killed at her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire on September 22, 2020 by her mother Frankie Smith’s girlfriend Savannah Brockhill, after suffering months of abuse in her home during the Covid lockdown.
10-month-old Finley Boden was murdered by his parents Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden on Christmas Day 2020. The infant had been taken by social services soon after birth, but was put back into his drug-taking parents’ care 39 days before he died.
A mother and her ‘monster’ boyfriend have been found guilty over the death of two-year-old Lola James (pictured) who was fatally attacked at her home in Wales
Lola James, two – murdered July 17, 2020
Lola James, two
Two-year-old Lola James was tragically killed by her evil stepfather, suffering 101 injuries including brain damage similar to what is sustained in high-speed car-crashes.
Sinead James, 30, moved her partner Kyle Bevan, 31, into the house she shared with little Lola James in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, a day after meeting him on Facebook in February 2020.
Swansea Crown Court heard Bevan, who had a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ temper, carried out a ‘frenzied and extremely violent attack’ on the young girl just four months later, causing 101 bruises and scratches and a catastrophic injury to the brain.
Lola’s mother was a victim of domestic abuse and had twice been educated on how to spot signs of an abuser, but chose to prioritise her relationship with Bevan over the safety of her child, the jury was told – before they convicted her of allowing Lola’s death.
James was told by the local authority not to invite adults into the family home if she did not know them well or if they were alcohol or drug abusers, but she ignored their advice.
Kaylea Titford, 16 – found dead October 10, 2020
Also amongst the victims of lockdown is Kaylea Titford.
Kaylea Titford, 16
The 16-year-old, who suffered from spina bifida, was found dead at her home in Newtown, Powys, on October 10, 2020 after her parents allowed her to become morbidly obese during lockdown.
Her mother, Sarah Lloyd-Jones, 39, admitted manslaughter by gross negligence last year, while her father, Alun Titford, denied the charges and was found guilty after a trial last month.
The teenager weighed 22st 13lb with a BMI of 70 at the time of her death, and her body was discovered inside her bedroom in conditions described as ‘unfit for any animal’.
A jury of eight men and four women convicted Titford after being shown pictures during the trial at Mold Crown Court in North Wales of the ‘squalor and degradation’ Kaylea had been forced to endure.
Alijah Thomas, five – murdered September 14, 2021
Five-year-old Alijah Thomas begged her mother Martina Madarova, 41, not to kill her as she strangled her to death at their home in Ealing, west London, on September 14, 2021.
Alijah Thomas, five
Madarova had put on cartoons for her daughter Alijah Thomas before carrying out the act as the child said: ‘Mummy, don’t kill me.’ She proceeded to strangle Aljah, before ‘tucking her in with a blanket’.
The 41-year-old had been suffering with her mental health and turned to alcohol during the Covid lockdown, and had been in a ‘dark place’ the night before her daughter’s tragic death.
She was given a five-year jail sentence after a judge ruled that she had ‘low responsibility’ over Alijah’s death.
A court heard that in the months leading up to the incident, family members and friends became concerned for Madarova’s wellbeing as she appeared ‘increasingly stressed’.
She was concerned for her income, after her hours as a carer had been reduced, and had become anxious after missing the deadline to enrol Alijah at school.
On the morning of September 14, Alijah’s father had left early for work and was notified a few hours later from a phone call from Madarova that their daughter was dead.
Kyrell Matthews, two – murdered October 20, 2019
Kyrell Matthews, two
Kyrell Matthews, aged two, was left with 41 rib fractures and internal injuries by the time of his death after weeks of cruelty at the hands of his mother Phylesia Shirley and her boyfriend Kemar Brown.
Brown was convicted of murder while Shirley was acquitted of murder but found guilty of the alternative charge of manslaughter.
They appeared alongside each other in the dock as Brown was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison while Shirley was jailed for 13 years.
The toddler, who was non-verbal, could be heard crying and screaming on distressing audio files taken from Shirley’s phone and played to jurors during the trial.
Brown and Shirley are understood to have been visited by social services at least once.
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six, murdered June 17, 2020
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, six
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, aged six, was murdered by his cruel stepmother Emma Tustin in June.
She was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 29 years and the boy’s father Thomas Hughes was jailed for 21 years for manslaughter.
The boy had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, but they concluded there were no safeguarding concerns.
In October 2019, Aileen Carabine, a special educational coordinator at Arthur’s school, said Arthur ‘deteriorated’ that month.
Hughes, 29, was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years after being found guilty of manslaughter – but cleared of murder – for encouraging the killing, including by sending a text message to Tustin 18 hours before the fatal assault telling her ‘just end him’.
Logan Mwangi, five – murdered July 31, 2020
Logan Mwangi, five
Five-year-old Logan Mwangi was murdered by his mother, step-father and teenage step-brother on July 31, 2021.
His body, which suffered 56 ‘catastrophic’ injuries consistent with a ‘brutal and sustained assault’ was found in the River Ogmore near his home in Sarn, Bridgend county.
John Cole, 40, Angharad Williamson, 31, and 14-year-old Craig Mulligan were all convicted of murder in April 2022.
Cole will serve a minimum of 29 years, Williamson at least 28 years, while teenage Mulligan will serve at least 15 years.
Social services repeatedly missed signs of abuse and opportunities to protect Logan, with injuries dating back to August 2020.
Inspectors have blasted the council which failed to protect murdered five-year-old Logan Mwangi, with the watchdog insisting ‘serious concerns’ remain about its children’s services a full year after his death.
Care Inspectorate Wales noted there have been improvements at Bridgend County Borough Council in the last 12 months, but said there was still a need for ‘further urgent action’.
Star Hobson, 16 months – murdered September 22, 2020
Star Hobson, 16 months
Star Hobson was just 16 months old when she was murdered by her mother’s girlfriend Savannah Brockill in September 2020.
In the lead-up to her death, she had suffered months of abuse in her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire, during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020.
Former Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield, the chairwoman of the Commission on Young Lives, warned after Star’s murder that the Covid lockdown ‘brought its own opportunities for those who harm, groom and abuse children.’
Brockill is now serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years at HMP Styal in Cheshire, after being convicted in December 2021.
Star’s mother, Frankie Smith, was convicted of causing or allowing the toddler’s death and was initially sentenced to eight years behind bars.
This was increased to 12 years after a judicial review.
Social services missed five opportunities to stop Star’s killers, with her great-grandfather Dave Fawcett saying after their convictions: ‘It’s disgusting because there were five referrals. Not one of them did anything. It’s just beyond belief, really.
Finley Boden, 10 months – murdered December 25, 2020
Finley Boden fatally collapsed on Christmas Day 2020.
The infant was found to have 130 separate injuries at the time of his death, as well as diseases including sepsis and pneumonia.
The injuries included a broken pelvis, broken shoulder, fractured shinbone, fractured collarbones, several fractured ribs and four separate thighbone fractures, as well as 71 bruises and other burns, with his blood, vomit and faeces found on his clothes and body.
Finley Boden, 10 months
Finley was exposed ‘vicious and repeated assaults’ at the family home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, that culminated in his ‘savage and prolonged’ murder.
His broken pelvis was possibly from sustained ‘kicking or stampin”, with injuries likened to a multi-storey fall.
He also had two burns on his left hand – one ‘from a hot, flat surface’, the other probably ‘from a cigarette lighter flame’.
Despite the fact that Finley’s pain ‘would have been obvious’, his parents only gave him Calpol for pain relief and claimed that their son ‘always had crackly ribs’.
His parents Shannon Marsden and Stephen Boden were handed life sentences with respective minimum terms of 27 and 29 years at Derby Crown Court.
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