A JEALOUS father who tortured his baby son is facing a life sentence after being found guilty of murder last night.
Paul O'Neil, 33, held three-month-old Aaron's face against a gas fire because he was jealous of the attention the boy's mother gave the baby.
Four days later - on February 10 last year - the fatal injury was inflicted by O'Neil as he shook Aaron and fractured his skull with a blow to the head. Aaron was beaten and burned so badly that he died 92 days after he was born.
There was also evidence of a cigarette burn on Aaron's shoulder and a scalding injury, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
O'Neil, of Banbury Road, Kenton, Newcastle, had used "unforgivable violence" against his son because he resented the attention the youngster was getting from his mother, Jodie Taylor.
He had admitted cruelty but denied murder and five charges of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, between November 2004 and February 2005.
The jury deliberated for two-and-a-half days before returning a guilty verdict yesterday to murder and of inflicting the burns. He was cleared of one charge of GBH with intent - that of fracturing his son's legs.
The jury was unable to reach verdicts on three charges of GBH. The judge ordered these to lie on file.
Taylor, 21, admitted cruelty to her son by failing to provide adequate medical attention.
Paul Worsley QC, prosecuting, said of O'Neil: "He was responsible for all those injuries and kept Jodie Taylor in such fear that she dare not take Aaron to a doctor."
O'Neil and Taylor will be sentenced today.
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