Carl Alesbrook, now aged 19, caused Elijah Shemwell bleeding on the brain, whiplash-type injuries and multiple broken bones weeks after meeting the boy’s mother in November 2021
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Carl Alesbrook tells police ‘you’re boring’ in chilling interview
This is the chilling moment a teenager who shook his then-partner’s four-month-old baby to death tells police “you’re boring” after being confronted over his lies.
Carl Alesbrook, now aged 19, has been jailed indefinitely for murder after causing bleeding on the brain, whiplash-type injuries and multiple bone fractures to baby Elijah Shemwell seven weeks after meeting the child’s mother, India Shemwell, in November 2021.
The killer, who was 16 at the time, told officers to “f*** off” when questioned over baby Elijah Shemwell’s horrific death. He lied to officers claiming he had messaged police to ask where they were when Elijah fell ill.
But one detective tells him: “This was a lie, there is no message saying where are you. “We have interrogated your phone and that is not confirmed on there. What do you have to say about this?” Responding, Alebrook replies: “F*** all”.
Alesbrook, of Matlock in Derbyshire, denied causing any harm to Elijah but was unanimously convicted of both murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent by the jury at Derby Crown Court in July.
Alesbrook was unanimously convicted after a five-week trial in July and was handed a minimum term of 14 years, minus the time he has already served, at Derby Crown Court on Friday. His ex-partner, India Shemwell, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at the same court after she admitted two counts of child cruelty in December last year.
Medical evidence presented to a five-week-trial showed Elijah suffered brain damage from being shaken on at least three separate occasions, including New Year’s Day and January 2 2022, as well as 17 bruises around his chest, back and stomach consistent with grip marks. He also suffered rib and limb fractures, while his fatal head injuries were described in court as “catastrophic”.
During his trial Alesbrook told the court that he looked after Elijah alone while Shemwell was working away from her home in Acorn Drive, Belper, Derbyshire. The court was told that days before Elijah was rushed to hospital on January 2, Alesbrook sent a Snapchat message to Shemwell calling her baby a “c***”, but he denied being “unduly angered or irritated” by the child.
Shemwell, who was aged 21 at the time but is now 23, admitted to two counts of child cruelty, including the fact that she did not dial emergency services more quickly after Elijah became unwell. The court heard she sent a video of Elijah unresponsive with a floppy arm to friends on Facebook to ask for advice on his condition on January 1.
CCTV shown to Alesbrook’s trial showed Shemwell visiting a shop on the night of the fatal assault. Jurors were told Shemwell also filmed video of Elijah struggling to breathe before she dialled 999 at 10.33pm on January 2, leading to him being taken by paramedics to Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. He died three days later on January 5.