Man found guilty of killing partner's five-year-old son because he lost his shoe
'Alex was so small but he was my strength and my purpose for living. The hardest thing I have ever had to hear, was that my child died'
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A man who beat his stepson to death for losing one of his shoes, has been found guilty of murder.
Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, flew into a rage and rained down blows on little Alex Malcolm, Woolwich Crown Court heard.
Witnesses described hearing a child's voice crying "sorry", loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe in south east London's Mountsfield Park on 20 November last year.
Iheanacho, who was in a relationship with Alex's mother Lilya Breha, told her he wanted to go out to buy a DVD and would take Alex with him.
After they entered the park's play area, a witness reported hearing Iheanacho shouting at Alex about a lost shoe.
She described him “raging” at the boy who was keeping very quiet and saying “sorry” repeatedly.
She then heard repeated booming noises and saw the gate moving as if it was being punched by someone.
The prosecution said the banging noise was Iheanacho attacking Alex.
A few minutes later another witness walked past and saw Iheanacho talking on his phone while the child lay on his back on a bench with his arm dangling down.
They overheard him saying Alex had “lost” something and that “he’s fallen asleep and he’s heavy”.
Phone records showed that Iheanacho had twice called his girlfriend to tell her about the lost shoe. Alex's mother asked to speak to her son but Iheanacho did not put him on the line.
He then picked him up and took him to a nearby mini cab office rather than Lewisham Hospital which was only five minutes away.
After taking a cab to their home in Beckenham he told Ms Breha Alex had fainted and fallen on his knees.
While looking at her son Ms Breha noticed he had a bruised face and what looked like a slap mark. He was breathing but appeared to be unconscious.
When she tried to call an ambulance for help Iheanacho attacked her – kneeing her in the chest, jumping on her back and trying to choke her.
He only stopped when he realised Alex had stopped breathing and gone blue. His mother was then able to call an ambulance.
Iheanacho did not go with Alex and Ms Breha but told paramedics conflicting stories about why the boy was hurt.
A CT scan showed swelling on Alex’s brain and he died two days later.
A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was head injuries and noted large areas of bruising to the face and body. He also had internal bruising to the stomach caused by a kick, stamp or punch.
Ms Breha said: "Alex was so small but he was my strength and my purpose for living. The hardest thing I have ever had to hear, was that my child died. I remember it like it was yesterday.
“Lying next to him in a hospital and praying that everything would be fine, that he will open his eyes. I didn’t even get to tell him I love him.
“All I got was to put my hand on his chest and feel every single one of his final heartbeats."
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Lynes, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "Iheanacho subjected that poor little boy to a brutal assault after flying into an uncontrollable rage just because Alex lost one of his shoes.
"Afterwards Iheanacho came up with various stories to try to cover his tracks, insisted his girlfriend lie for him and attacked her when she tried to get medical help for her unconscious son.
"It is no surprise the jury easily saw through his stories and while nothing can bring Alex back, I hope Iheanacho's conviction today provides his mother and father, and their families with some comfort."
Iheanacho is due to be sentenced next week.