Father found guilty of murdering his two-week-old son

**TRIGGER WARNING: The following release contains details which some readers may find distressing.**

The father of a two-week-old boy who died from ‘catastrophic’ injuries has been found guilty of his murder.     

Daniel Gunter, aged 27, of no fixed address, has been found guilty unanimously by a jury at Bristol Crown Court today (Thursday 24 July) of killing his son, Brendon Staddon, at Yeovil District Hospital in the early hours of 5 March last year.   

 Sophie Staddon, aged 21, was acquitted of causing or allowing Brendon’s death.

The charges of murder for Staddon and causing or allowing Brendon’s death for Gunter were dismissed.  

Baby Brendon, who was born prematurely at 33 weeks on 20 February 2024, was described by Prosector Charles Row KC as weighing ‘less than a couple of bags of sugar’. Gunter murdered his son in an assault, which caused Brendon to sustain ‘catastrophic’ and fatal injuries.   

 Mr Row told the court that Brendon sustained injuries from head to toe, including a shattered skull and multiple broken bones.  

 The Prosecutor then told the court how nurses and doctors fought to save Brendon’s life after his mother, Ms Staddon, asked for their help, describing Brendon as ‘feeling cold’.

Daniel Gunter was arrested by police outside the hospital at 4.51am, and baby Brendon died 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.” 

Overstimulating Brendon  

The jury was told how, over several days, Gunter was told to stop handling, overstimulating and fussing baby Brendon by tickling him, poking him and not allowing him to rest. One of the nurses who provided words of advice to Gunter was ‘left with the impression’ that he did not take criticism well.    

Mr Row explained to the jury: “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.”    

They were also told how Gunter was witnessed by visiting family ‘being rough’ in handling Brendon and became angry when Brendon urinated on him during a nappy change.     

In the hours before Brendon’s death, the nurses on duty noticed Gunter’s demeanour changing.  The court was told: “By 3.30-3.40am, [the nurse] said Brendon was with Mr Gunter. She looked in and asked ’is he alright?’ to which Gunter replied ‘yes, he’s alright’, but in a way that the nurse considered odd.    

“His reply did not seem natural to her. He seemed excited, his response was unusually animated, and he was nodding exaggeratedly. The nurse thought it was as if he didn’t want her to go over to him.      

It was just after 4am that Ms Staddon approached the nurses station raising concerns for her baby.     

Controlling partner

 The jury was told about Gunter’s emotionally abusive and controlling behaviour towards his on-again, off-again ex-partner Ms Staddon.  

 The jury was told how Gunter controlled Ms Staddon’s finances, dictating who she could speak to and spend time with, what and how much she ate and when she smoked.    

She and Gunter shared a mobile phone, a laptop and an email address and Gunter would, on occasion, send messages pretending to be Staddon.  

Gunter was described by a childhood acquaintance as someone who was ‘quick to anger’ and he had witnessed the relationship between the pair first hand when the pair had lived in shared temporary accommodation.    

Child Protection Services became involved    

The court was told by Mr Row how social services had become involved in during Ms Staddon’s pregnancy and had several concerns.

He said: “The authorities were concerned about many things, including their precarious housing situation, the way Gunter appeared to control Staddon and her finances, her physical and mental health and their lack of engagement.” 

 The court heard how, when the social worker visited the couple in hospital following Brendon’s birth, he was ‘struck by the lack of emotional warmth shown’ by Gunter.    

Senior Investigating Officer Det Ch Insp 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.”     

Gunter will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on 3 October.