Teen locked up for killing tot

July 30, 2009

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VICTIM: Demi Leigh Mahon

VICTIM: Demi Leigh Mahon 1/2 Play Slideshow

A BABYSITTER who battered a two-year-old girl to death on his 15th birthday was ordered to be detained for at least 15 years.

Karl McCluney kicked, punched and bit Demi Leigh Mahon, leaving her with 68 injuries and suffering brain damage.

After the ferocious attack, Demi Leigh was taken to hospital and her parents were at her bedside when her life support machine was switched off two days later.

McCluney, now 16, was convicted of Demi Leigh's murder at Manchester Crown Court last month.

He sat slouched in a chair with his hands in his pockets as the sentence was handed to him by Mr Justice Sweeney at Liverpool Crown Court today.

McCluney was allowed to sit outside the dock with his solicitor and a prison guard beside him because of his age.

Savage

The judge described the murder as 'savage'.

He said: “You were extremely fed up with having to babysit because it was your birthday, nobody had planned anything for you and you did not think that was fair.

“At the flat, Demi Leigh was crying and you became angry with her.

“Unsurprisingly, given your anger, she cried more.

“You got angrier and angrier until you lost your temper altogether.

“You then, over a period, according to you, of about 10 minutes, you hit her many times.

“You were large and powerful, she was only a small child and stood no chance against your onslaught.”

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john davis, Broughton, Salford (30/07/2009 at 15:44)

as ever a laughable sentence this murdering moron will be out on the streets by the time he is 35,

Matthew Wright (30/07/2009 at 15:52)

"McCluney was allowed to sit outside the dock with his solicitor and a prison guard beside him because of his age."-Yes after all hes only a sweet kid isnt he!. Doesnt think hes hard now does he.

Zimmerman, manchester (30/07/2009 at 15:58)

You have to ask yourself what makes a 15year old beat a child up and bite her so badly that she died?What type of monsters are we breeding.? We need to go back to basics and see where we as a community have gone wrong.I dont ever remember a child killing another child when i was growing up in manchester,But over the last 20/30 years something has gone wrong with society we have become to "LIBERAL" In how we see crime and how we treat crime in general,and our children dont see right from wrong.Its now time to bring our communities back from the brink of anarchy before its to late?

chillbill, oldham (30/07/2009 at 16:06)

Oh dear same old same old.

PB Crumpsall, Manchester (30/07/2009 at 16:29)

I agree with Zimmerman, there has been a near collapse of respect, and it goes back to basics, respect/manners at home, implemented and backed up in schools. I went to school in the 70s and it was practically unheard of to swear or disrespect a teacher , you knew what would happen.

WHO ARE WE, Manchester (30/07/2009 at 16:30)

Bring back capital punishment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!then we get what we want, killers to pay for there actions with there scanky lives use them for cat litter ...

Nate Locc (30/07/2009 at 16:55)

"as ever a laughable sentence this murdering moron will be out on the streets by the time he is 35,
john davis, Broughton, Salford
30/07/2009 at 15:44 "

It said he must serve minimum of 15 years so he will be out by the time hes 29.But knowing the law system he'll probably be out by the time he's 22.

Mike, Manchester (30/07/2009 at 17:25)

Zimmerman was it a struggle to resist typing "birch" like you used to do all the time?

Paul Fox (30/07/2009 at 17:36)

I Hope he gets some nasty bites whilst inside, unfortunatly I get the feeling he will be treated with kid gloves and be kept in better conditions that he does at home. This country needs More stick and less carrot...

S P In exile, Tameside (30/07/2009 at 18:21)

I cannot understand the sentence, this man has taken a very young life used her as a football and all he gets is 15 years. We definitley need judges who know their jobs and take crime like this more serious, the result of Nu-Labours message to all judges about light sentencing and crowded jails.

It's time the juditiary was elected then only the good stern judges would be elected.

sledge (30/07/2009 at 18:40)

he will probably be let out in 18 months and get compo like the james bulger killers, it sickens me to the core

speakup for salford, Pendlebury (30/07/2009 at 18:58)

The role of Childrens services in Salford and their failure to protect this child has been forgotten. There should have been sackings for this.

Thomas The Tank, Rusholme (30/07/2009 at 19:47)

It's OK Zimmerman I will say it for you, for the sake of said person that seems to think there is something wrong you mentioning it? BIRCH HIM! BIRCH HIM!! BIRCH HIM!! And then BIRCH HIM some more! And any other filthy low life beasts like him. There I do feel better! One form of punishment that should be brought back for sure, along with good ol clip round the ear hole and the strap. Taught us right from wrong never did me any harm and made me have a healthy respect for everything and anyone? And please do good dying bleeding heart people do not even attempt to tell me otherwise. BIRCH? Bring it back! Let the bleating begin.

1970, hell (30/07/2009 at 20:12)

hes a monster,a child killer,he should never be freed again in fact if you was to poll most of the uk public they would gladly see this evil b*****d hang.

Ms B, Manchester (30/07/2009 at 22:32)

Thomas the Tank, Rusholme: I agree, when they have finished birching the b****** Hang him!!

Zimmerman, manchester (30/07/2009 at 22:51)

Thomas The Tank,
What is the strap.

minority report, Manchester (30/07/2009 at 23:24)

However pathetic the sentence is, to call for the restoration of the death penalty is meaningless in this case. When we had the death penalty it only applied to offenders who were 18 or over. If it was restored it would never be used on anyone who was a minor at the time of the offence.

ENGINEER, Heywood (30/07/2009 at 23:40)

If ever there was a case for re-instating Hanging this is it. The sentences in this country are a joke and so are the prisons these low life's serve them in. He has taken the like of a 2 year old so should stay in prison for life or at until she would have reached pension age therefore being released when his is about 90 years old.
IT is cases like this that must make the police wonder why they bother catching these scumbags only to see them virtually get a soft sentence.
I wonder what would happen if, I no I would not wish it on them, but a senior judge or polititcian had their 2 year old grandchild killed in this manner I bet his sentence would be more severe.
I pesonally think that the jury should decide the sentence of any criminal.

RT, UK (31/07/2009 at 00:05)

Another sad day for British Justice. Where is the comment from the Home Secretary on matters such as these? Too busy playing cards...

Gerry Gow's jockstrap (31/07/2009 at 00:56)

Its ok to say that we need to look back over the last 20/30 years to see where we have gone wrong. But lets look back at how weak our this country has been on killers. Take Mary Bell 1968 if I'm not wrong. That was more than 30 years ago & she went on to become a grandmother. Also being granted lifelong anonymity. You see we have always protected so called child/youth murderers. Take the evil pair who took away little Jamie Bulgers life. Where are they now? We will never know for the people with power have protected them. Will this latest evil son of satin

Tony Colemans Barman, Manchester 19 lost in Oz (31/07/2009 at 04:40)

After looking at photos of Manchester on the net with all the shops and their steel shutters and alarm systems, rubbish all over the streets and a total break down of respect by kids and crim gangs for any kind of law and order I am not suprised animals like this can do what he did and have no sense of any feeling of the wrong he has done, who is to blame? what can be done to change things? perhaps it could start with taking the kid gloves of the police, shake up school system, give the courts real power! no soft options no more ASPOs, take back the bloody streets for the people who want a better life and by the way give this B-----d 50 years.

tony (31/07/2009 at 07:29)

I can't believe what I am reading here. A young neglected boy who lost his temper and slowly snapped, over an hour, is jailed for the best years of his life. The little child he killed is probably in a better place now. Those of you who want to whip him by bringing back the birch are sick vicious people. Some even want a return of the rope! Don't you realise if we hang this vulnerable boy his life will be over preventing him from further killing opportunities? Others would see him in rot in prison for life...meaning the rest of his natural... without the slightest thought for the torture this would cause him and others like him! Good on NuLabour for protecting his 'Human Rights', the far-right might want all of these old-fashioned remedies brought back to give some balance between good and evil but we live in a tolerant society today and we must never be allowed to forget it.
A minimum of 15 years is quite a long time especially for a 15 year old boy. Spare a thought for him.

MarXPacE, Sheriff Street (31/07/2009 at 07:44)

Typical chav behaviour!

The girl next door , North west (31/07/2009 at 10:52)

I have to say I don’t agree that the death penalty should be brought back as most murderers would like this option as many have seemed to taking there own life as soon as they get in prison.
I do think that this justice system is completely t*ts up though!! Disgusting. If I was the parent of that child i would appeal as many times as I possibly could. 15 years is a disgusting amount of years to give some one for what that sick little twisted s**t has done!!
Take a life.. Get life in prison. Not 15 years and we will see how you have behaved! Let him stay there in a 9x5 box and rot!
Contradicting myself though here.. I think if I was the parent of that little girl I would be stood in the streets getting names for a petition to bring back the death sentence.. As Most of you probably would!!
and people like Tony.. I think you are not seeing what actually happened.. “A young neglected boy who lost his temper and slowly snapped, over an hour, is jailed for the best years of his life.” No a devious evil minded person.. and who will be out in about 10 years!

Mr Angry, Bury (31/07/2009 at 11:16)

Is "Tony" for real?? The only solution for the useless underclass is the final solution

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