A couple jailed for leaving their “exceptionally thin” son in sickly conditions before he died have failed to have their conviction overturned.
The little boy Stephen Angell Jr. was subjected to harrowing abuse, including traces of drugs in his milk and an odor of ‘unusual’ body odor.
He would eventually succumb to the abuse when he was just three months old.
Stephen Angell, 45, and Laura Stevenson, 47, had denied any wrongdoing during the trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court but were convicted by a jury of willful neglect for events that took place between August and November 2018.
These events included baby Stephen being exposed to the risk of ingesting drugs and a milk bottle being found in his home revealing traces of diazepam.
The couple, from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, were jailed for two years each in July as Sheriff Colin Dunipace accused them of showing ‘no remorse’.
But the attempt to clear their names has now been rejected by the judges after they immediately ordered the lawyers to appeal against their conviction and sentence after the prison sentence.
A source said: ‘They are absolutely callous and it was no surprise they tried to appeal their conviction.
The little boy Stephen Angell Jr. was subjected to harrowing abuse, including traces of drugs in his milk
Stephen Angell, 45, and Laura Stevenson, 47, had denied any wrongdoing during the trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court but were convicted by a jury of willful neglect for events that took place between August and November 2018.
“They have shown absolutely no remorse throughout the entire case and it has left many feeling sick.”
Doctors ruled baby Stephen’s death was ‘undetermined’, but social work records showed there were concerns about his care during his life.
An investigation revealed that he had been exposed to the risk of ingesting drugs, and a milk bottle found in his home revealed traces of diazepam.
The court heard that a drunken Stevenson had left her son with a woman who was disabled and ‘morbidly obese’ and had gone to bed.
He was later discovered soaked in urine in the woman’s arms by her shocked daughter.
Dr. Adrienne Sullivan told the trial she examined Stephen in October 2018 over concerns about weight gain.
She said his hands, feet and armpits were dirty, he had long nails and he had a body odor that was “unusual.”
Professor Charlotte Wright told the trial that the youngster was ‘exceptionally thin’ when she examined him.
During one exchange, the parents were advised to increase the amount of baby food they gave him, but Angell responded: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’
The court heard that a drunken Stevenson had left her son with a woman who was disabled and ‘morbidly obese’ and had gone to bed
She developed further nutritional problems after he gained 100 grams in three days under medical supervision, but struggled to gain weight at home.
During one exchange, the parents were advised to increase the amount of baby food they gave him, but Angell responded, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Sheriff Dunipace said: “Despite the high level of social intervention, you have both failed in your duty to your son and I have concluded that the case for which you were convicted involved a high degree of culpability and a deliberate disregard for the welfare of your son. child while being in a position of utmost trust as parents.”
The Court of Appeal confirmed that Angell and Stevenson’s appeals had been dismissed at the ‘second sifting’ stage.‘