Drug addict convicted of murdering 15-month-old baby after ongoing campaign of ‘sadistic’ abuse

A former janitor who used cocaine was found guilty of killing his girlfriend’s young son.

Drug addict Jake Drummond, 33, smoked 10 to 15 cannabis a day.fatally shook and punched 15-month-old Jacob Lennon early on August 27, 2019, leaving him with a “panda” face, Old Bailey heard.

A few weeks ago, Jacob suffered more injuries to his face, body and genitals, but the boy’s mother, Louise Lennon, 32, couldn’t stop it.

A sick Drummond, who renamed the boy’s bedroom the “torture chamber,” faces life in prison.

Five days before the murder, jurors heard that Drummond sent her an ominous message about putting Jacob in a “torture chamber” in connection with his bedroom.

This follows a meme quoted by Hollywood actor Ben Stiller in the movie Happy Gilmore.

In a separate message, Lennon said that Jacob looks like “a bit of a crazy man” because of his bruises.

The pair denied any wrongdoing and blamed each other for Jacob’s gruesome injuries.

After a trial at the Old Bailey, Drummond was found guilty of intentionally killing and injuring Jacob.

Lennon, 32, was found guilty of causing or permitting the death of a child who previously admitted to child abuse.

The court heard how in December 2018 social services placed Jacob under a child protection plan under the category of emotional abuse.

However, on August 20, 2019, Lennon lied to social workers that he was vacationing in Hastings to skip a scheduled visit.

Meanwhile, Drummond had already embarked on a “campaign to deliberately attack and harm Jacob,” prosecutor Sally O’Neill KC said.

Drummond was frustrated that Jacob stayed in bed with him and Lennon instead of in bed because the defendant was suffering from insomnia due to his cocaine habit.

The day before the fatal attack, Drummond was also upset that he had to go to the police station after his ex-girlfriend accused him of harassing her in a way that was “a little less obsessive.” was

Early the next day, Jacob was taken out of bed, shaken violently, and passed out.

Lennon then fabricated a story for emergency services that Jacob had fallen out of bed.

She also claimed he tripped on the way back from a supermarket to his apartment in Roehampton, southwest London, a few days ago.

Medical personnel found that Jacob’s eyes were so swollen that they could not open and “looked like a panda”.

He had many bruises on his forehead, temples and cheeks, and his skull was described as soft and spongy.

Jacob, who was later found to have traces of cocaine in his body, was taken to hospital and pronounced dead just over an hour later.

A post-mortem examination found that he died of a fatal head injury.

Some of his injuries had been inflicted days or weeks before the last assault.

Ms O’Neill told the jury, “There were marks of 20 recent injuries on Jacob’s head, face and neck, 11 on his upper extremities, 7 on his lower extremities and 7 on his torso.

A pathologist identified a 3 cm long “gap” on Jacob’s penis from “extreme pinching” or “biting”, as well as a scrotal wound.

The prosecutor said, “The injury to the scrotum was a penetrating injury, several days earlier, as a result of penetration by a semi-sharp or sharp object, such as a small-bladed weapon, including skewers.”

Jacob’s genital injuries were said to be “sadistic” and were the subject of Drummond’s bodily injury charges.

Pathologists have rejected claims that the cut may have been caused by a plastic knife from the Toy Story-themed “Mr. Potato Head.”

Drummond denied injuring Jacob, and Lennon said he was “coerced and threatened” by his boyfriend not to help his son.

A court heard that Drummond received a juvenile warning in 2005 for putting a knife to his mother’s throat, and was convicted in 2008 of assaulting another ex-girlfriend by pushing him against a wall.

Another ex-partner who was warned against harassment also claimed he grabbed her by the neck until she nearly passed out, the jury said.

Jacob Lennon was just 15 months old when he died in August 2019 from a severe head injury.

After baby Jacob died in August 2019, a post-mortem examination found injuries consistent with horrific and prolonged abuse.Photo: Louise Lennon

Twisted Pear was found guilty in Old Bailey (pictured) and will be sentenced in April.

Early in the trial, Lennon was sobbing when prosecutor Sally O’Neill showed him a photo of his son. His injuries progressively worsened, including severe bruising on his head, a cut on his lip, and a patch of hair that had been removed. depilatory cream.

She said she saw several injuries to Jacob’s genitals, but didn’t see the worst injury, a cut.

O’Neil said he must have seen all the injuries because he changed Jacob’s diapers regularly.

“A terrible injury suffered by a 16-month-old baby, and you knew the injury was caused by a man with whom you had an affair.

“How could the injury have happened in your apartment without your knowledge?” Mr. O’Neill asked.

Lennon said he was asleep.

“But you told us that you were a light sleeper. Mothers are attuned to their babies’ cries and we think you’ll agree that they hear them better than others.

“You agree that it must have been a horribly painful injury.

“Jacob would bow loudly when he was injured,” said Ms. O’Neill.

Lennon said Drummond pinned her down and hit her when the relationship soured, answering her calls late at night and blocking her ex-boyfriend’s number.

O’Neill told jurors, “Jake Drummond launched a campaign to intentionally attack and injure Jacob between July and the end of August.

“The injuries he caused were obvious and conspicuous.

“Lucy Lennon tried to explain those incidental causes by fabricating them when it must have been obvious to her that they were caused by Jake Drummond.

“His eyes were so swollen he couldn’t open them.

“The injury to the scrotum was a penetrating injury several days earlier as a result of penetration by a semi-sharp or sharp object such as a small bladed weapon, including skewers.

“Jacob’s penis and scrotum, especially the injuries caused by sharp instruments, were sadistic in their cruelty and must have caused great pain to Jacob.

“Louise Lennon is more interested in staying in a relationship with Jake Drummond than staying in a relationship with Jake Drummond, despite it being revealed that Jake hates Jacob. there was.

After deliberating for two days, the jury found two indictments.

Drummond denied it, but was convicted of intentional murder and bodily injury.

Lennon denied it, but was convicted of causing or authorizing the death of a child.

She admitted to child abuse.

Judge Sweeting stayed the verdict until April 24 to prepare the report.

The senior judge thanked the jury and said: