Evil stepdad who shook baby to death then claimed tot choked on Hobnob after horrific 7 month abuse campaign is jailed

A SADISTIC stepdad who shook a baby to death before claiming the tot choked on a Hobnob has been jailed for murder. Charlie Roberts was attacked with such "devastating" force that his brain moved in his skull - causing "irreparable damage". The one-year-old had been subjected to a seven-month abuse campaign at the hands of stepdad Christopher Stockton. Tragically, Charlie's mum Paula Roberts turned a blind eye to the abuse and left her son alone with the monster.

Stockton, 38, has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years after being convicted of murder. Mum Roberts, 41, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to child neglect. On January 12, a "sleep-deprived" Stockton was left to look after Charlie alone at home in Darlington. This was despite the mum being so "concerned" about her baby and partner that she installed a spy camera in a plant pot above his cot.

Shortly after the pair were left alone, Stockton called 999 claiming Charlie had choked on a chocolate Hobnob - although nothing was found in his airways. In chilling 999 call, the brute was heard begging Charlie to wake up. The stepdad told the operator Charlie was "barely" breathing and is "really floppy". He then pleaded "come on" three times to the injured baby, before adding one final time: "Ok come on, Charlie".

Stockton was so "incredibly calm" during the call that a senior medic at first thought it was a false alarm. Even after his arrest, the evil stepdad continued to spread a web of lies over how Charlie was injured. He again claimed the tot had choked on the biscuit while crawling through a play tunnel. Chilling footage showed Stockton describing with his hands how he attempted to help Charlie while being interviewed by police.

The court was told Charlie's horrific injuries were so "devastating" he likely would have collapsed "almost immediately". He tragically couldn't be saved and died in hospital the following day. Medics could find no underlying health conditions, which led them to believe his cause of death was the "application of severe force" that caused "his head to rotate or be thrown about". It then emerged that staff at Charlie's nursery had previously raised concerns when they noticed bruising on the tot.

Social services were also called after he was rushed to hospital with marks to his ear, eye and head but no action was taken. Jurors heard the baby had injuries to his genitals that were likely to have been caused by a "violent pulling force". Roberts' brother also noticed marks on both of his ears but the mum claimed he had been sleep-walking. Dominic Tate of CPS North East said: "Our thoughts remain with the father of Charlie Roberts, for who this must remain a particularly difficult time.