BREAKING: Dad Leon Mathias jailed for life for baby son's murder

Leon Mathias (34, pictured) was found guilty of murder at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday and sentenced today to serve a minimum of 16 years in prison.

A 13-week trial had heard that Mathias, of Stonebridge Lane, Great Houghton, was alone with baby Hunter on November 30, 2018, when he caused the baby boy such a severe brain injury that he died three days later.

The court heard Hunter (below) had suffered “catastrophic” injuries, including fractures and bruising to his head.

Mr Peter Griffiths, mitigating, said what happened was a terrible tragedy, that the killing happened in seconds and it was “completely and utterly” out of character.

“It happened in a flash,” he added.

Mr Griffiths said Mathias had done “his absolute best after the incident to help his son” and that he would have to live the “rest of his life” knowing he had murdered his own son.

Sentencing Mathias today, High Court judge Mrs Justice Christina Lambert said due to the trauma Hunter’s brain had swollen up and been deprived of oxygen and blood “for a long period of time”.

She told Mathias: “You lost temporarily your temper in frustration.

“The jury heard that even shaking a baby could be lethal.

“He died because he was shaken by you.

“There was significant bruising to the head.

“He should have been safe in your arms.

“Instead you lost your temper and took all your frustration out on him.

“Your behaviour was nothing short of grotesque.

“You will have to live with the fact that you killed your son but we must live with the consequences of our actions.”

Det Chief Insp Mark Oughton said Mathias, who was found not guilty on a charge of Section 18 assault, had made no comment when interviewed.

“We will never know exactly what happened during Hunter’s bathtime on November 30, 2018,” he added.

“What we do know is that he suffered catastrophic injuries at the hands of his father. I am pleased justice has been served.”