Crown Prosecution Service reacts to guilty verdict over schoolboy Alfie Steele’s death

The Crown Prosecution Service has said Carla Scott ‘put her loyalty to her partner above her duty to protect her child’ as she was found guilty of manslaughter following the death of her son Alfie Steele.

Carla Scott, 35, and her partner, Dirk Howell, 41, of Newtown in Birmingham, killed Alfie Steele after months of harrowing abuse during lockdown at his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire. The defenceless schoolboy died after his body was pulled from a bath having suffered more than 50 injuries at the hands of the evil pair in February 2021.

A court heard Alfie had been tortured and beaten to death after being subjected to a “cruel and sinister” regime of punishment at the property on Vashon Drive. The brutal discipline techniques included Alfie being whipped with belts and flip flops as well as being “dunked” in cold baths.

Shockingly, the “physical and psychological” abuse which led to his murder was able to continue despite Alfie being under a social services protection plan. Legal discussions had also been ongoing to remove him from the house but it proved too late.

The court heard how the cruel pair thought it was acceptable to hit Alfie with “belts, or a slider, like a heavy-duty flip flop, and use other more sinister forms of punishment.

This included holding Alfie under cold water in the bath for a prolonged amount of time whenever they believed he was lying. Medical experts said bruises suggested he had been “manhandled” and others marks on his buttocks were from being kicked by an adult who “had lost control.”

Today (Tuesday, June 13) Howell, who has spent more than half of his life in prison, was found guilty of murder following a six week trial at Coventry Crown Court. Scott was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict following more than ten hours of deliberations.

Crown Prosecution Service statement

Following the verdict, Paul Reid of the CPS, said: “As a mother, Carla Scott tragically put her loyalty to her partner above her duty to protect her child. It is a tragedy that Alfie’s life was cruelly taken away by the people who were supposed to love and care for him.

“We hope today’s verdict is a reminder that child abuse will not be tolerated, and that those who choose abuse over compassion can expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Our thoughts are with Alfie’s family at this time.” The defendants will be sentenced on 15 June 2023.