A man who claimed his ex-partner's young daughter died in 1982 after falling down the stairs is guilty of her murder, a jury has ruled.
Nicholas Byard, 46, was convicted of killing three-year-old Lisa Jayne Pegg after the little girl's father asked Leicestershire Police to investigate the case in 2002.
The defendant, from The Common, Barwell, had told Nottingham Crown Court that the toddler suffered fatal internal injuries by falling down the stairs at her home. The prosecution alleged they were inflicted by him.
Members of Byard's family broke down in tears in the public gallery as the jury returned its unanimous verdict after nearly three hours of deliberations.
Mr Justice Treacy told him: "I'm going to remand you in custody."
Lisa died in February 1982 suffering from severe abdominal injuries.
When paramedics arrived at the home she shared in Banky Meadow, Burbage, with her mother, Julie, and her mechanic boyfriend, Byard told them she had fallen down the stairs. The little girl died later in hospital.
Police investigated her death but the case was not pursued after the Attorney General deemed there was a lack of evidence. But it was left on file after the coroner in her inquest recorded an open verdict.
Then, in 2002, the child's father, soldier Alan Pegg, asked police to re-open the probe into his daughter's death.
The evidence was "consistent with assault", Peter Joyce QC, prosecuting, told the court. After the verdict was returned, the court heard that Byard had a number of previous convictions for assault.
