Better laws on child murder mooted

Changes in the law are needed to strengthen cases against child
killers, the Law Commission has said.

The body, which advises the government on law reform, is
proposing an aggravated form of the existing offence of child
cruelty, which would carry a 14-year sentence.

It also recommends a new offence for a person who has
responsibility for a child but fails to protect them from murder,
manslaughter or assault, for which there would be a seven-year jail
term.

The proposals are designed to close a legal loophole that
prevents prosecution of child killers where a jury cannot decide
who from a pair or small group of people is actually responsible
for inflicting the injuries or causing death.