Life sentence for Shotton mother who killed her baby son

Hannah Turtle, the 22 year old Shotton mother has been jailed for life after admitting to murdering her seven week old son.

Turtle changed her plea to guilty on Tuesday during her trial at Mold Crown Court.

She admitted suffocating baby James Hughes in 2016.

Turtle stopped his breathing on two previous occasions before she killed him, she also admitted five other child cruelty charges including giving him her antidepressant drug twice.

Mr Justice Clive Lewis, sitting at Mold Crown Court, ordered that Turtle should serve a minimum of 14 years and nine months years before she could apply for parole.

Speaking after the sentence North Wales Detective Chief Inspector Andy Williams said;

“We extend our sincerest condolences to baby James’ family. This has been a very difficult and traumatic case for officers to deal with, but today justice has been done.

We have supported the family at every stage of the investigation and we admire the dignity they have shown throughout.

North Wales Police has been working with the North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board which will now look to complete a Child Practice Review.”

On 13^th June 2016 we sadly lost James. We all miss him more than words can say and our lives will never be the same again.

In a statement from the family of baby James said;

“As a family we have all been to hell and back through the initial loss of James, to the build-up of going to court and finally today now that justice has been served.

We were all so scared about giving evidence in court, not because we had anything to hide, but just having to face the emotionally challenging prospect of seeing the person who murdered our son.

She had the opportunity to prevent this additional torment, but she failed to do so.

As a family we are all still suffering every day and we all feel in our own different way despair at what has happened.

We will continue to support each other in every possible way that we can.

We have received lots of messages of support from members of the community and all sides of James’ family for which we are truly grateful, but as a family we now need some time to continue to grieve.

We would like to thank North Wales Police for all their hard work and the compassion that they have shown us.”

Case Review

North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board is to undertake a review of the case, Neil Ayling, Chief Officer Flintshire County Council Social Services said;

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic case. 

Given the circumstances we referred James’ death to the North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board and are supportive of their decision to undertake a Concise Child Practice Review. 

Now that the criminal proceedings have been concluded the Review can be finalised. 

The Review will look at the role agencies played in working with the family and will help to shape future practice and the support we collectively offer. 

Once finalised, a report and action plan will be presented to the Regional Safeguarding Board and shared with the Welsh Government.”

Commenting NSPCC Cymru said it hoped the review into the case will explain events;

“In James’ extremely short life he suffered repeated acts of cruelty from his mother before she ultimately murdered him.

Young children are entirely dependent on those who care for them and it is right that Turtle is now behind bars as a result of her appalling actions.

It is a sad reality that cases of abuse and neglect most often involve people close to the victims. We hope the review into this case will explain the events which led to James’s tragic death.”