A jealous father has been jailed for at least 23 years for murdering his three-week-old son and trying to kill his partner.
Denis Beytula stabbed Andrei Stefan twice as he lay in his Moses basket at the family flat in Portland Close, Wallsend, North Tyneside, then knifed his partner Andreea Stefan six times.
He rang 999 and when the arresting officer asked why he had blood on him, the fast food worker replied in a matter-of-fact tone: ‘I killed them.’
A police officer who entered the house found baby Andrei ‘stabbed, crying and bleeding to death in his Moses basket’ and made desperate but futile efforts to save him.
Ms Stefan was on the floor in the hallway, ‘ashen faced and covered in blood’ with multiple stab wounds.
Denis Beytula (left) attacked three-week-old Andrei Stefan and his mother Andreea (right) at a house in Wallsend, North Tyneside, on October 2
Ms Stefan, pictured with Beytula, survived the stabbing despite her injuries and released a statement to say how she had been under her partner’s control when she and her baby should have been safe.
Ms Stefan posted a message Facebook message in the moments before the attack saying: ‘I asked God to send me a man who will always love me. So, he gave me a son’
The mother and newborn son were taken to hospital but tragic Andrei died four days later, while 21-year-old Ms Stefan, survived the shocking violence she and her baby boy had suffered, by ‘sheer chance’.
The 21-year-old manager of a Domino’s pizza outlet, released a statement to say how she had been under her partner’s control when she and her baby should have been safe.
Sentencing Beytula, Judge Paul Sloan QC told him ‘the victim, your newly-born son, was particularly vulnerable’ and the murder took place in what should have been ‘a place of sanctuary’.
Beytula, who came to this country from Bulgaria around seven years ago, was sentenced for the October murder and attempted murder at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday.
Outwardly, the couple seemed happy but behind closed doors Beytula was a controlling and coercive influence on his partner.
They had only met at the end of 2018 and she was soon pregnant, with Andrei born the following September.
Beytula controlled his partner, making her feel insecure and stopping her from having friendships outside the home, the court heard.
He tried to get a job at her place of work and stopped her from attending a Domino’s awards ceremony in London.
Their common language was English, but he reacted strongly after hearing Ms Stefan’s mother speaking lovingly in Romanian to her grandson.
And on the day of the murder, the couple had argued over the hairdresser she wanted to use.
His controlling influence got worse after Andrei was born, and a detective who worked on the case said Beytula grew jealous of the attention she needed to show to the newborn.
Detective Inspector Graeme Dodds said: ‘He saw him not as a son, in a loving fatherly way, he saw him as a rival for Andreea’s affections.
‘Because of that jealousy and selfishness he killed Andrei and tried to kill Andreea.’
Police and social services were unaware of any concerns about Beytula, as no complaints had been made about his behaviour.
Mr Dodds added: ‘This is the worst thing I have ever investigated and I have been a cop for 20 years.
‘He is without doubt the worst offender I have ever encountered because of his propensity to commit that level of violence, not against any child but his own son, a three-week-old baby, who should have been in the safety and comfort of his own home.
‘Through his own jealousy and selfishness, he killed his three-week-old baby and that makes him the most horrific individual I have ever encountered.’
Mr Dodds paid tribute to Ms Stefan’s strength of character. She is recovering well from the severe injuries which could easily have killed her.
The home where Andreea Stefan was stabbed along with her three-week-old son Andrei
He said: ‘She is one of the strongest individuals I have come across.
‘She is a very impressive young woman.’
Beytula also presented as someone who was suffering from mental illness, but psychiatrists examined him and found he had no such condition.
In a statement, Ms Stefan, who is Romanian, said: ‘Denis was a man who was supposed to love me and my son. He was supposed to take care of us and keep us safe.
‘But in one moment Denis shattered my whole world. In that one moment my heart was broken and my worst nightmare came true.’
She added: ‘I have spent every second of my life since that day looking for reasons that could have made the outcome different.
‘I have blamed myself for not breaking up with Denis earlier but only those who have been in a controlling relationship will understand why I stayed.
‘He made me feel like I could not find anyone better and that nobody else could be a father to our son. He manipulated me and said everything he did was for love.
‘But now I know that what he had for me was not love. Love doesn’t try to control you, love doesn’t threaten you and love doesn’t kill babies.’