Emma Wilson

Case record: Emma Wilson

Background

Emma Wilson was 25 when she was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 14 years. She was convicted of murder at the Old Bailey in London after a five-week trial.

Callum Wilson was her 11-month-old son. He was born on 23 April 2010. He was returned to Wilson in November 2010 after spending the first few months of his life with foster parents, and he later suffered serious injuries that led to his death in March 2011.

Wilson’s relationship with Callum’s father involved Lee Workman. Prosecutor Paul Dunkels QC said during the trial that Wilson became pregnant in 2009 after a relationship with Lee Workman and that he was unaware he was the father. Neil Mitchinson was believed to be the child’s father, but DNA tests later proved he was not the father. Prosecutor Paul Dunkels QC told the jury that Neil Mitchinson was unaware he was the father until after the boy died in March 2011.

Wilson’s then-partner, Neil Mitchinson, had insisted Callum be put up for adoption, which Wilson said she deeply regretted. Wilson said she put the baby up for adoption because her boyfriend at the time, Neil Richardson, “thought she couldn’t cope with two children”.

Wilson kept Callum’s birth a secret from even her parents. Even her parents were not aware they had a new grandchild. Wilson left Callum in hospital after he was born and kept his existence a secret for seven months while he was in foster care. She also had Callum buried in an unmarked communal grave.

Wilson was said to have her elder son, now four, with her partner at the time of trial. Callum’s older brother was aged 23 months at the relevant time and later was described as “boisterous” and “rough”. Wilson claimed the older brother was jealous and was responsible for Callum’s injuries. The older brother was not named for legal reasons.

The offence

Callum suffered an “unsurvivable brain injury” after violence carried out against him by his mother. He was left blind and had nine fractured ribs and a broken arm and leg.

The jury heard that Callum was found unconscious in his cot on March 18, 2011. He was taken by ambulance to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough suffering serious injuries. Following medical tests, he was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where he died on 21 March. Multiple accounts in the trial narrative stated that he died two days after being taken to hospital, and also stated he died on 21 March.

The injuries included a detached retina that left him blind. The prosecution told the jury that Callum’s fatal brain injury was caused by a direct blow or from striking his head against something. The prosecution also said that his leg fracture may have been caused by banging against a hard surface. One described cause in court was that one blow caused his retina to detach, leaving him blind.

Prosecutor Paul Dunkels said to the jury that Callum’s fatal brain injury was caused by a “direct blow” or from striking his head against something, while his leg fracture may have been the result of “banging against a hard surface”. He also described the case as involving “a violent act” against a “vulnerable” child. The prosecution did not say it believed Wilson intended to kill her son.

Wilson denied murdering her son. She claimed her older 23-month-old son was to blame for the injuries and said the injury explanations included “constant pushing and rolling” and sibling rivalry.

A serious case review into Callum’s death was set to be published in four to six weeks time.

Investigation

The Old Bailey heard that Wilson claimed Callum’s injuries were caused by “constant pushing and rolling” by his then-23-month-old brother, and that she also blamed Callum’s “boisterous” brother after health and social workers spotted scratches on Callum during visits to Wilson’s flat.

During the trial, prosecutor Paul Dunkels QC told the jury that Wilson had claimed “constant pushing and rolling” might have been to blame. He added:

“But he could not have fractured Callum's ribs, which was consistent with violent squeezing of Callum's chest.”

The jury was told that staff noticed Callum change from a “happy, smiling baby” to “emotionless and listless”.

The court heard that Wilson lied to staff and parents at a playgroup at Woodlands Park Village children’s centre in Maidenhead. The court heard that Wilson claimed Callum was her cousin’s son, provided a false surname and address for the baby, and claimed on one occasion that bruising on Callum’s face had been caused by an older sister who did not exist. The prosecutor said the older sister did not exist.

Photographs were shown to the jury of Callum with visible bruising to his face. It was said that Wilson took photographs of the injuries and that one picture showed Wilson with Callum in the background, and that there was no evidence to suggest the picture was taken after the baby had died.

The prosecution told the jury that during the period leading up to Callum’s death Wilson tried to blame the injuries on efforts to revive her son, and the trial narrative included that Wilson took images of him in the weeks leading up to his death.

Places and care arrangements

Callum’s mother’s address was stated as Windsor and also as Paddock Close, Windsor.

In late 2010 Wilson took Callum out of foster care and brought him to live at her council flat in Windsor, Berks. The trial narrative included that she gave a false address for the youngster to staff at Woodlands Park Village children’s centre in Maidenhead.

Callum’s medical care included Wexham Park Hospital in Slough and the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. During the investigation narrative, paramedics noticed bruises above his left eye and on the side of his mouth.

Callum was seen by health and social workers during visits to Wilson’s flat, which led to noticing scratches. At a playgroup in Maidenhead, staff were told false information about Callum’s identity.

Trial

The jury found Emma Wilson guilty of murder. Wilson was convicted at the Old Bailey in London in December 2013 after a five-week trial at the same court.

At trial, Wilson claimed Callum’s injuries were caused by his older brother. She said the older 23-month-old brother was jealous. She also claimed she was “holding him really tight because his head was very heavy” and said:

“Well, I was panicking, he wasn’t holding his head.”

She claimed:

“I was holding him really tight because his head was very heavy. Well, I was panicking, he wasn’t holding his head.”

She also claimed:

The trial narrative included quotes from Wilson and other individuals about Callum’s state and about family circumstances.

Wilson said:

“It’s the best thing in the world being a mum.”

During sentencing remarks, the judge described Wilson as “an adept liar”.

A quote attributed to Wilson in the sentencing narrative was that she claimed being a mum was “the best thing in the world”. When discussing emergency services, Wilson told emergency services that her son was “lifeless and not doing anything”.

The judge, Stephen Kramer, told Wilson:

“You must have been the person who caused the injuries which the court saw in photographs that for some reason you took. “Your neighbours heard five or six loud bangs in quick succession. “They caused the ceiling and light fitting to shake and the neighbours thought ‘the kid was going to come through the floor’.”

The judge also told Wilson:

“You come from a good, loving and supportive large family. You were clearly a good mother to your other son but for some reason you rejected Callum. “If looking after two children was too much for you there was support there in the shape of your family and health ­professionals. “You have shown no emotion throughout the trial – it is a troubling feature in this case.”

Det Supt Ian Hunter made remarks after sentencing:

“The sentence today is a reflection of the abuse Callum suffered at the hands of someone entrusted to care for him and the pain he must have felt during his short life. “It also reflects on the dedication and efforts of the investigating officers and prosecution team to deliver justice for Callum during what was a difficult and emotional case for many of them. “Of course, sadly it does not bring Callum back and our thoughts will always remain with him.”

Sentencing

On January 24, 2014, Judge Stephen Kramer sentenced Emma Wilson to life in prison with a minimum of 14 years.

Wilson was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 14 years after the conviction for murder. The sentencing described Callum’s injury patterns and the circumstances of the case.

Outcome

Emma Wilson was found guilty of murder. She was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 14 years on January 24, 2014.

Aftermath

A serious case review report into Callum’s death was due to be published in four to six weeks time by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s Local Safeguarding Children Board.

The trial narrative also mentioned that Callum was known to social workers at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The narrative stated that the council had funded a 4% cut in council tax through savings to departments including children’s services, and that when Callum died the council was planning further cuts of £1.5million to the department. The council declined to comment until after the review.