A father has been convicted of murdering his two-year-old son just months after being granted sole custody. Daniel Hardcastle, 31, from Blackpool, subjected his son Damion Russell to a “horrifically violent” attack.
The toddler was found unresponsive at Central Drive, Blackpool, on 19 August last year and later died in hospital. Hardcastle was convicted by a jury at Preston Crown Court and has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 22 years.
Sentencing Hardcastle, Judge Mrs. Justice Hill described the extent of the injuries Damion sustained, stating, “Damion was covered in injuries top to toe and front to back. The pathologist identified some 80 separate injuries at post mortem.”
During his trial, Hardcastle claimed that Damion had fallen and banged his head on a coffee table. However, doctors discovered extensive injuries, including an adult bite mark, fractured ribs, widespread bruising, and a tear inside his lip suggesting forceful insertion of a drinking bottle.
The court heard that Hardcastle either violently shook Damion and banged his head or caused his head to come into contact with a solid object. Hardcastle, who had been granted sole custody three months prior to Damion’s death, denied the charges, insisting that his son had injured himself.
Blackpool Council announced it will conduct a local child safeguarding practice review in light of the incident.
As part of the investigation, data analysis from Hardcastle’s mobile phone revealed he had made several searches about the ageing process of bruises, including one search just four minutes before calling emergency services. The jury also learned that Hardcastle had been drinking more in the days leading up to the assault and had spent the two nights before his son’s death chatting online to a woman.
Det Supt Al Davies stated: “Like any young child, Damion had the right to be loved and cherished by the man who should have done everything he could to protect him. Instead, he found himself subjected to a horrifically violent and sustained assault. Only Daniel Hardcastle can say exactly what happened on that fateful day or why he did what he did, but this was no childhood accident that ended in tragedy.”
Damion’s grandmother, Linda Hardcastle, expressed her grief, saying, “Damion made me so happy. Now I just feel sad, heartbroken. He had an amazing laugh and made me proud.”
The case has shocked the community and highlighted the need for rigorous child safeguarding measures. As the investigation continues, authorities are committed to ensuring such a tragedy does not happen again.
