A babysitter who battered a toddler so badly his mother did not recognise him has been jailed.
Nicholas Lessiter – who was bizarrely tricked into thinking the 20-month-old boy was his by girlfriend Rebecca Barnes – subjected the child to a four-day ordeal that left him with a catalogue of injuries including a fractured collarbone.
Barnes stood by and watched as the little boy suffered.
At Mold Crown Court today Lessiter, 26, of Rhyl, was sentenced to five years in prison while Barnes, 22, of Ruthin, was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
Evil: Nicholas Lessiter and Rebecca Barnes have been jailed after a toddler was beaten so badly his mother did not recognise him
Lessiter had been cleared of raping the child.
The court heard excruciating details of the defenceless child’s beatings, which were inflicted while he was left alone with the evil pair as his mother was organising her new flat.
Callous Barnes wore headphones while Lessiter launched a ferocious assault on the boy, biting his shoulder and elbow and injuring his mouth and the back of his throat.
Judge Niclas Parry told the couple – who sobbed throughout much of today’s sentencing hearing – that there was ‘no greater responsibility than that to protect helpless and defenceless very young children.’
He said their behaviour was sadistic but conceded it was possible for Barnes’ to be explained by Lessiter’s controlling behaviour towards her.
Judge Parry told her: ‘But the fact remains that you manufactured the bringing of this child into that home.
The pair were jailed for a total of seven-and-a-half years at Mold Crown Court (pictured) today
‘You took that child into your home when you knew that Lessiter would be present, a man you know was capable of using extreme violence upon you, kicking and biting you. You left that child in his care.
‘You persuaded him that child was his. Your deception went further and you were able to persuade your own mother that the child was her grandson.
‘It was your choice to bring that boy into that house. Only you could have protected him and taken him from the abuse but you failed to do that.’
At an earlier hearing Lessiter admitted child cruelty while Barnes admitted child cruelty on the basis that she was aware of the injuries but did nothing to help and did not seek medical attention for him.
Matthew Curtis, for Barnes, said she knew she should have protected the toddler.
Owen Edwards, for Lessiter, said that the defendant’s limited capacity must have played a part in the offending.
The child has since made a full recovery.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the child’s mother said: ‘My decision to leave him in her care was the worst decision of my life. I deeply regret it.
‘It will haunt me for the rest of my life.’