A teenager was ordered to be detained for five years today for killing the three-year-old son of a woman he was having an affair with.
Cameron Rose was 16 when epileptic Rhys Lawrie died from a head injury after being left alone with him.
Rose, now 18, of Eltham, south London, was found guilty last month of Rhys's manslaughter and assault causing actual bodily harm in January last year.
He was found not guilty of murder following an Old Bailey trial.
Rose was attending a school for emotionally disturbed youngsters when he began an affair with Rhys's mother, former Army medic Sadie Henry, now 28.
Rose hit the boy when he was left to look after him as Miss Henry, of Erith, Kent, went on the school run with another son.
Four days later, Rhys collapsed after being swung by his leg and his head knocked against a wall.
Miss Henry lied to paramedics and police to try to cover up her toy-boy affair.
Rhys had a head injury, fingertip-sized bruising to his face, ears and body. His right leg was fractured.
Rose claimed the injuries were accidental. He had a previous finding of guilt for arson and had been cautioned twice for damaging his home.
The Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, told Rose: "Rhys died a dreadful, violent death at your hands and that must not be forgotten."
Rosina Cottage QC, for Rose, said he had anger management and emotional issues and the offence resulted for circumstances which would not be repeated.
The trial had been told by Miss Henry that she met Rose at other people's houses and even had sex with him in a park after Rhys died.
She continued seeing him in secret until September last year when police arrested her for murder. She was later cautioned for trying to cover up the relationship.
Miss Henry wept as she agreed she had been told not to have any contact with Rose, but had carried on seeing him.
She said: "I felt guilty because my three-year-old son died and the person I cared about saw him die.
"I thought he died from natural causes. I thought I should have been there."
Miss Henry denied she was obsessed with Rose but agreed she hacked into his Facebook account when he tried to call off the relationship a month before Rhys's death.
She said: "I was attracted to him. I didn't see the consequences.
"I didn't know I was hurting my children in the process. I was having fun for the first time. I did not see him as a toyboy.
"Now that I look back, I do see myself as irresponsible but it was not as sordid as it was made out to be."
