Andrew Randall

Case information

Andrew Randall (born 1974) was a British murderer.

He murdered his seven-week-old daughter, Jessica Randall, on the morning of 21 November 2005.

He was of Kettering, Northamptonshire. At the time of sentencing he was 33, and his address was Havelock Street, Kettering.

Timeline

• 21 November 2005 — Jessica Randall was murdered in the early hours, at the flat Andrew Randall shared with Jessica and her mother, Sharon Park.
• 15 November 2006 — Andrew Randall admitted murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and sexual abuse offences at Northampton Crown Court.
• 13 March 2007 — He was sentenced to life imprisonment on a whole life term; the trial judge recommended that he should never be released.
• 13 February 2008 — Northamptonshire Teaching Primary Care Trust released a report confirming that 30 members of staff at Kettering General Hospital failed to begin child protection procedures.
• (Reported one month earlier than 13 February 2008) — It was reported that the European Court of Justice was in the process of reviewing whole life sentencing.

Background

Jessica Randall was born five weeks early.

Her mother was Sharon Park, who suffers from schizophrenia.

The offence

Andrew Randall committed a “catalogue of horrendous violence” against baby Jessica.

The abuse lasted almost from when Jessica left hospital until her death in 2005.

After her death, Jessica was found to have at least nine injuries to her ribs, as well as bleeding on the brain, a fractured skull, and cuts to her face.

She was killed in the early hours of 21 November when Randall, “allegedly trying to keep her quiet”, threw her headfirst into the wooden arms of a settee at the flat he shared with his child and her mother, Sharon Park.

Investigation

After her death, Jessica’s mother’s background included previous history of mental health problems, and the report concluded there were “grounds for a referral to Children and Young People's Service (CYPC)” due to her mother’s previous history.

The Safeguarding Children Board for Northamptonshire report stated that, by 15 November—six days before Jessica died—there were “significantly more concerns” and “some formal discussion” should have been made with the CYPC, which is part of Northamptonshire County Council.

It also accepted that Andrew Randall did not have a criminal record and that there was nothing in his medical records to suggest he was a danger to Jessica.

In police interviews, he told officers of his resentment towards the child from the start of her life and that he had thought of killing her every day.

Arrest

The information provided did not describe an arrest.

Trial

At his trial on 15 November 2006 at Northampton Crown Court, Andrew Randall admitted murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and six counts of sexual abuse of his daughter.

Earlier admissions included murder, causing grievous bodily harm, and four counts of sexually abusing Jessica.

Sentencing

On 13 March 2007, Andrew Randall was sentenced to life imprisonment on a “whole life term”.

The sentencing judge was Judge Charles Wide QC. He told Randall he was a sadistic killer and said the seriousness of the case made a sentence of life imprisonment appropriate with a whole life order.

Judge Charles Wide QC said:

“I am quite satisfied there was a sexual element, coupled and inextricably bound up with the violence. Even if it were not, one can only look at the aggravating features of this case - a tiny child, abuse lasting the whole of her few weeks of life... and the most gross breach of trust that one can imagine, a father murdering a tiny, vulnerable, utterly dependent baby.” “The seriousness of this case is so exceptionally high that a sentence of life imprisonment is appropriate with a whole life order.”

The trial judge recommended that he should never be released.

Judge Charles Wide QC also said Randall had fantasised about serial killers and had had a fascination with horror films since he was a young boy.

It was also stated that Randall had written poems about wanting to kill.

The phrase “Killing fantasy” appeared in the materials.

Appeals

The information provided did not describe any appeal.

Outcome

Andrew Randall received a whole life term and was sentenced to life imprisonment on 13 March 2007.

Aftermath

Health and safeguarding report

On 13 February 2008, Northamptonshire Teaching Primary Care Trust released a report confirming that 30 members of staff at Kettering General Hospital failed to begin child protection procedures, but it stopped short of blaming any specific individuals for Jessica Randall’s death.

The report concluded:

“In recognising that opportunities had been missed to identify signs of abuse we must conclude that the outcome for Jessica Randall may have been different had these signs been acted on”

Hospital response and quotes

Dr Brendan O'Malley, medical director at the hospital, said:

“The report was not a whitewash. We looked very carefully at it and we really considered that it was the processes that were remiss. The individuals now know very clearly from training what they need to do in the future.”

Asked to clarify what the doctor who had seen Jessica just days before she had died had failed to do, he added:

“When Jessica was first presented to us she was twitching and the doctor felt she was probably fitting. He felt there were several possibilities for the diagnosis behind this and he set a range of investigations in motion. He organised a chest X-ray and an MRI scan but they all came back negative.”

He then said:

“Other examinations were carried out, but none appeared to indicate evidence of child abuse. The system was there but the problem was that it had not been triggered and the lesson that we have learnt is that we need to raise people's awareness of what has to trigger off referral to making a child at risk,”

It was stated that the hospital confirmed its 2000 staff had since received training in spotting cases of child abuse.

Local authority response

Paul Burnett, director for children and young people at Northamptonshire County Council, said:

“We, along with our partners, acknowledge all of the mistakes which were made and we have already taken action to address the key findings of this report to ensure that our services for children are improved as proposed.”

European Court of Justice reporting

It had been reported a month earlier that the European Court of Justice was in the process of reviewing whole life sentencing to determine whether such sentences amounted to a violation of Human Rights.

If the European Court outlawed lifelong imprisonment, it was stated that all other prisoners serving such sentences would have their cases recalled to court for a new minimum term to be set.