Jake Drummond: Drug addict who put girlfriend's 15-month-old son Jacob Lennon in 'torture chamber' found GUILTY of murder
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PUTNEY, LONDON: Drug addict Jake Drummond, 33, was found guilty of killing his girlfriend's young son, 15-month-old Jacob Lennon, after a campaign of "sadistic" abuse. An Old Bailey court heard that Drummond fatally shook and hit the boy on August 27, 2019, leaving him with a face like a "panda".
Prosecutor Sally O'Neill KC, as per a report by Independent, told the court, "There were 20 marks of recent injury on Jacob’s head, face, and neck, 11 to his upper limbs, seven to his lower limbs, and seven to his trunk." She also revealed that "the injuries to Jacob’s genitals were said to be 'sadistic' and were the subject of Drummond’s wounding charge."
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'I will put you to sleep'
In the weeks before the killing, Jacob suffered yet more injuries to his face, body, and genitals while his mother, Louise Lennon, 32, failed to stop it. Five days before the killing, Drummond sent Lennon a sinister message saying he was putting Jacob into the "torture chamber" in reference to his bedroom, jurors heard. It followed a meme of the Hollywood actor Ben Stiller in the film Happy Gilmore with the quote, "Now you will go to sleep or I will put you to sleep." In another message, Lennon referred to Jacob as looking like "a little madman" because of his bruises.
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Drummond was found guilty of murder and wounding Jacob with intent. Lennon was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, having earlier admitted to child cruelty. The pair had denied wrongdoing and blamed each other for Jacob’s horrific injuries.
Social services had placed Jacob under a child protection plan under the category of emotional abuse in December 2018, the court heard as per the report. But on August 20, 2019, Lennon lied to the social worker by saying she was on holiday in Hastings to skip a planned visit. Meanwhile, Drummond had already embarked on "a campaign of deliberately assaulting and hurting Jacob", as per prosecutor Sally O'Neill KC.
Jacob's eyes were so swollen that he 'looked like a panda'
Jacob's mother concocted a story for emergency services that Jacob had fallen out of his cot and claimed he had tripped on the way from a supermarket back to their flat in Roehampton, south-west London, days before, the court heard. Medics found Jacob's eyes were so swollen they could not open and he "looked like a panda". He had more bruises on his forehead, temples, and cheeks, and his skull was described as being "soft and spongy".
Lenon said she was 'coerced and threatened' by Drummond
A post-mortem examination, according to the Mirror, revealed Jacob died from a fatal head injury, likely from being hit against a blunt surface while being shaken. Some of his injuries were inflicted days or weeks before the final assault. The pathologist identified a "gaping" 3-centimeter-long cut to Jacob's penis from "extreme pinching" or "biting" and a wound to his scrotum. The prosecutor said, "The injury to the scrotum was a penetrating injury as a result of penetration by a semi-sharp or sharp object such as a small-bladed weapon such as a skewer in preceding days."
Drummond denied that he injured Jacob and Lennon said she was being "coerced and threatened" by her boyfriend into not getting help for her son. The jury deliberated over two days to find the pair guilty of the charges against them. Justice Sweeting adjourned sentencing until April 24 for reports to be prepared. Lennon was granted continued bail while Drummond was remanded in custody.