Killer who beat girlfriend's son, 5, to death over lost shoe has jail term extended

A man who beat his girlfriend's five-year-old son to death because he lost a shoe has had his sentence increased by senior judges in London.

Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, is currently serving an 18-year minimum term sentence after murdering Alex, the son of his ex-partner, in a park in Catford.

Little Alex died in hospital from head and stomach injuries two days after the brutal attack in November last year. One of his trainers was later found in the play area by police.

On Tuesday, three Court of Appeal judges agreed with with Solicitor General Robert Buckland that 18 years was "unduly lenient", and did not adequately reflect the "serious aggravating features" of the case.

Lord Justice Treacy, Mr Justice Jay and Mr Justice Warby added three more years on to his minimum term of the jail sentence to 21 years.

Lord Justice Treacy announced: "In our judgment the minimum term of 18 years did not adequately reflect the serious aggravating features of this case, which relate not only to the offence itself but also to the offender's past violent criminal conduct."

His previous convictions showed he had a "deeply entrenched streak of violence within him".

Lord Justice Treacy said Iheanacho had attacked a vulnerable young child when he was in a position of trust, and did not get medical assistance for Alex "when it was clear he required urgent care".

​Iheanacho, from Hounslow, west London, had denied murdering Alex, but was convicted in July after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court and jailed for life.

Witnesses heard a child's fearful voice saying "sorry", loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe during the attack in Mountsfield Park

Iheanacho has a string of previous convictions for violent offences, including attacks on ex-partners and robbery.