A former Trowbridge man shattered his two-week-old baby’s skull in harrowing a murder.
Tiny newborn Brendon Staddon was in hospital, having been born prematurely at 33 weeks, when his so-called father Daniel Gunter inflicted ‘catastrophic’ injuries.
The 27-year-old was unanimously convicted of murder by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on 24 July.
Brendon was killed at Yeovil District Hospital on 5 March 2024, where he was born just two weeks earlier – and weighed “less than a couple of bags of sugar”, according to Prosecutor Charles Row KC.
The court heard how Brendon sustained injuries from head to toe, including a shattered skull and multiple broken bones. Medical staff tried to save his life after his mother, Sophie Staddon, raised the alarm.
Gunter, who lived in Trowbridge some years earlier, was arrested outside the hospital at 4.51am. Brendon died just eight minutes later.
Following the verdict, Brendon’s grandfather Simon Gunter said: “Brendon was born early and was so tiny, but so beautiful. He was just perfect.
“Despite his early arrival, he was a little fighter and proved his strength in the very short life he had.
“As a family, we were so happy and excited. We had bought clothes, toys and supplies in preparation for his arrival and we all had exciting plans for the future.
“But, we have been robbed of a life of memories of Brendon. We won’t get to see his first steps, hear his first words, take him on his first holiday and see him grow into a young boy then a man. We will never have those memories. They have been taken from us and he will never be replaced.
“I hope Daniel gets what he deserves for what he did to Brendon but, whatever the outcome, it will never bring him back.
“Today, some justice has been served, but we still have many unanswered questions.”
The jury was told that hospital staff had repeatedly asked Gunter to stop overstimulating Brendon by tickling, poking and fussing over him, preventing the baby from resting. One nurse felt Gunter did not respond well to criticism.
Mr Row told the court: “This sort of over-stimulation is something which is not advised and can have the consequence of distressing the child, causing crying and for oxygen levels to drop.”
Gunter was also seen handling Brendon roughly, becoming angry when the baby urinated on him during a nappy change.
In the hours before Brendon’s death, Gunter’s behaviour reportedly changed. A nurse noted his “unnaturally excited” response when asked if Brendon was alright, as if he did not want her to come over.
Shortly after 4am, Ms Staddon approached staff expressing concern for her baby.
The court also heard about Gunter’s controlling and emotionally abusive behaviour towards Ms Staddon. He allegedly controlled her finances, dictated her social interactions, monitored her eating and smoking habits, and impersonated her in messages.
Social services were involved during Ms Staddon’s pregnancy. Mr Row said concerns included their housing situation, Gunter’s control over her, and the couple’s lack of engagement with support services.
A social worker who visited them in hospital after Brendon’s birth was reportedly “struck by the lack of emotional warmth shown” by Gunter.
Detective Chief Inspector Nadine Partridge, from the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “The injuries that Brendon sustained were catastrophic and there wasn’t a part of his body which wasn’t bruised or broken.
“It breaks my heart to see someone do such vicious things to a poor, innocent child who had his whole life ahead of him.
“Brendon was failed in life. In death, justice is the only protection we can still offer him.
“Cases where both the victim and the defendant are related in some way are among the most challenging for us as police. I would like to give my condolences to Brendon’s grandparents and their wider family, who we have supported through specialist family liaison officers.
“This investigation has been long and complex, with the involvement of officers from several different departments and professionals from outside agencies.
“I would like to recognise the efforts of everyone involved in this case, it has been a true team effort to bring the case before the courts and I am immensely proud of each and every person involved in this investigation.”
Sophie Staddon was charged with murder and causing or allowing the death of baby Brendon. She was acquitted of causing or allowing his death, and the murder charge was dismissed.
Daniel Gunter will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on 3 October.
