A 27-year-old man in the United Kingdom has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the brutal killing of his 14-day-old son, in what the court described as an “exceptionally violent” act. The baby’s injuries were so severe that experts said they resembled those sustained in a fall from a multi-storey building.
Daniel Gunter, 27, inflicted catastrophic injuries on his newborn son, Brendon Stanton, including severe trauma to the head, neck, legs, and jaw. The assault took place on March 5 last year at Yeovil District Hospital in Somerset, where the baby had been placed in an incubator after being born prematurely.
Hospital staff discovered the gravely injured infant in the neonatal unit and immediately tried to resuscitate him, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Gunter and the baby’s mother, Sophie Stanton, were arrested shortly afterwards.
A post-mortem examination revealed extensive injuries across the baby’s body, including the forehead, face, chin, nose, eyes, cheeks, skull, neck, torso, left arm, legs, and feet. The forensic report concluded that the fractures were consistent with violent twisting and pulling, and that the baby had suffered massive internal bleeding. His skull was shattered, and his neck had been broken.
According to the medical examiner, the pattern and severity of the injuries were “consistent with a fall from great height,” a level of force impossible to be accidental.
The presiding judge described the killing as “an act of extreme violence” that could not have occurred without intent, rejecting any suggestion of a loss of control or momentary lapse.
During sentencing, the court heard emotional testimony from Gunter’s father, who said he was devastated by the loss of his grandson.
“He was so tiny, but so beautiful — he was just perfect,” the grandfather said, struggling to hold back tears.
The case has sparked renewed outrage across Britain, highlighting systemic failures in protecting vulnerable infants and calling attention to the need for stronger oversight in cases involving young parents and high-risk households.
