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11/04/2005
Killer babysitter receives life sentence
A babysitter who murdered a two-year-old boy in her care has been sentenced to life in prison.
Suzanne Holdsworth, 34, was given a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court for the killing of Kyle Fisher at her home in Millpool Close, Hartlepool, last July. She had been babysitting the child while his nineteen-year-old mother, Claire, went out for the evening.
Ms Holdsworth, who has two children, was found guilty last month at Teeside Crown Court.
The jury was told that Kyle's head had been repeatedly battered against wooden banisters. The impact on the two-year-old's brain was similar to that caused by being thrown from a car at 60mph, the court was told.
Mr Justice Grigson told Ms Holdsworth that she was a woman of "good character" and accepted that the incident was "momentary" and her actions were "wholly unpremeditated". The judge also said that the chance of Ms Holdsworth reoffending was low. However, he said that she would still spend at least ten years in jail.
Mrs Holdsworth's barrister said that that normal starting point for a life sentence for murder was 15 years.
A spokesperson for Cleveland Police, said that there were "no winners" in this case. He said: "Little Kyle is not going to grow up, so his family have been deprived of seeing that. Holdsworth will not see her children grow up because she will be in prison for a long time".
Ms Holdsworth reportedly wept as she was taken from the court.
(KmcA)
Suzanne Holdsworth, 34, was given a life sentence at Leeds Crown Court for the killing of Kyle Fisher at her home in Millpool Close, Hartlepool, last July. She had been babysitting the child while his nineteen-year-old mother, Claire, went out for the evening.
Ms Holdsworth, who has two children, was found guilty last month at Teeside Crown Court.
The jury was told that Kyle's head had been repeatedly battered against wooden banisters. The impact on the two-year-old's brain was similar to that caused by being thrown from a car at 60mph, the court was told.
Mr Justice Grigson told Ms Holdsworth that she was a woman of "good character" and accepted that the incident was "momentary" and her actions were "wholly unpremeditated". The judge also said that the chance of Ms Holdsworth reoffending was low. However, he said that she would still spend at least ten years in jail.
Mrs Holdsworth's barrister said that that normal starting point for a life sentence for murder was 15 years.
A spokesperson for Cleveland Police, said that there were "no winners" in this case. He said: "Little Kyle is not going to grow up, so his family have been deprived of seeing that. Holdsworth will not see her children grow up because she will be in prison for a long time".
Ms Holdsworth reportedly wept as she was taken from the court.
(KmcA)
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