Alfie Steele’s mum Carla Scott and her Birmingham boyfriend Dirk Howell jailed for at least 59 years

An evil mum and her Birmingham partner have been jailed for at least 59 years for killing her nine-year-old son Alfie Steele.

Schoolboy Alfie died in the bath following months of "inhumane" and "sadistic" torture during lockdown. He was discovered with more than 50 injuries after he was found lifeless. The youngster had been subjected to a campaign of "sinister" punishment at the hands of his mum Carla Scott, 35, and her fiance, Dirk Howell, 41, from Newtown.

The brutal discipline techniques included being beaten, dunked in cold bath water and locked out of the house for hours where he had jugs of water thrown over him. Alfie was also whipped with belts and flip-flops, deprived of food and would have suffered "unimaginable fear and distress" in the run up to his death. Alfie was later found unresponsive in cold bath water at his home on Vashon Drive and died in hospital on February 18, 2021.

Howell was convicted of murder and Scott was found guilty of manslaughter and child cruelty on Tuesday (June 13) following a six week trial at Coventry Crown Court. Today (Thursday, June 15) Howell was jailed for life while Scott was caged for a total of 27 years at the same court. Career criminal Howell, who previously admitted child cruelty, was told he would serve a minimum of 32 years behind bars.

Sentencing, Judge Mark Wall KC said: "I have no doubt this is a killing of which the seriousness is particularly high. That is because it is the murder of a child, involving sadistic conduct and his death was the culmination of a series of cruel and violent acts towards him.

"What is clear is that Alfie did not have the quiet death that you tried to portray. His death was violent and brutal. Alfie tried to say no, called in vain for his grandfather to help and resisted to get into the bath and maybe it was that resistance that sealed his fate.

“Alfie died either through drowning, concussive head trauma or mechanical asphyxia. For the purpose of this sentence it does not matter which. The true cause of his death was your cruel misconduct towards him.

“It was also due to your failing to call the authorities sometime after his death. You Miss Scott told police there was an hour or more before calling the police. Had you called the authorities immediately as any parent would have done you would have not made the mistake on timings.

“You delayed as you needed that time while Alfie laid dead to try to conceive what you had done. You did this by putting him in a warm bath to warm him up and to get your stories straight.”

What the judge said about Dirk Howell as he sententenced him for murdering Alfie Steele

The judge described Howell as a ‘bully’ with an ‘uncontrollable temper’ and said neither had shown any remorse for their actions. He added: “Neither of you has shown any remorse for your actions. You Howell, I have no doubt are a cruel man with a fiery and uncontrollable temper. Anyone who crossed you was met with threats.

“You are a man who likes to control his environment and everyone in it. This attitude explains your repeated abuse. You are a bully. And I’m sure you got pleasure from inflicting pain and discomfort. You introduced into that household the cruelty that led to Alfie’s death."

What the judge said to Carla Scott who was convicted of the manslaughter of her son Alfie Steele

Addressing Scott, he added: "Your first thought was to protect your co-accused. You had a need for male companionship even of the inadequate type on offer by Howell above your duty to protect your children.

"You were capable of resisting this had you wanted to do so. It is revealing you have maintained your relationship after he killed your son. You were capable of standing up to him and chose not to do so with fatal results for your own son."

What Alfie Steele’s granddad Paul Scott said about the youngster’s death

In a victim impact statement earlier read out to court, Alfie’s granddad Paul Scott said: "The loss of my grandson has affected me greatly. On the day of Alfie’s death I remember arriving at the house and was kept waiting, I wasn’t informed of anything and was made to sit in my car.

"I saw Alfie’s lifeless body being carried to the helicopter. When I was told that Alfie had passed away I didn’t know what to do with myself.

"I thought if I shouted loud enough that it wouldn’t be true, and since then it has felt like a nightmare. I was so close to Alfie, I remember all the things he loved. He used to make me smile, I was so proud of him.

"It hurts that he won’t be able to make his own decisions and that I won’t be able to guide him in the right direction. Alfie was like a mini me and I was going to make sure that he was going to be the best person.

"I feel like I’ve let Alfie down. I have been told Alfie’s last words were him shouting for me and this pains me. When in the bath I sometimes find myself under the water. I cannot breathe, I am gulping water and I do it until I feel I’m about to pass out. It is at this point that I feel so close to Alfie.

"Seeing Alfie in the mortuary really affected me. My mind plays tricks on me remembering this. I think I can hear him calling me and shouting for my help. I’ll never be able to cuddle him. My precious grandson Alfie was a charming, inquisitive and kind young boy whose kindness and cheeky smile was enough to melt your heart.

"He knew how to make you laugh and cry joyous tears. Now he’s been taken away from us. Now that he’s gone I can no longer sleep as when I close my eyes I have thoughts of him screaming for me to save him."

The chances that were missed to save Alfie Steele

The court heard how chances were missed to save Alfie as neighbours raised concerns to police and social services but he remained under the care of the cruel couple. Legal discussions had been ongoing whether to remove him from the house of horrors but it was agreed it did not cross the threshold to do so.

It meant the "physical and psychological" abuse which led to his death was able to continue despite Alfie being under a social services protection plan. A multi-agency safeguarding review has since been launched.

The court heard the pair hit Alfie with “belts, or a slider, like a heavy-duty flip flop" until he was "black and blue" and use other more sinister forms of punishment". This included holding Alfie under cold water in the bath, grounding him for excessive periods and making him stand for hours inside and outside his home.

Harrowing footage of the torture of Alfie Steele at his home in Droitwich

During the case, jurors were played harrowing footage - including of Alfie screaming and begging to be let in after being locked outside his house. The chilling clip captured Alfie crying for help while repeatedly shouting: "Let me in, let me in" 18 months before he was killed.

Other footage showed Scott lying to police who were called to the "dishevelled" house telling them Alfie had fallen asleep after banging his head in the bath.

She can also be seen telling cops a "fantasy story" as she phoned her boyfriend pretending to not know where he was. A disturbing 999 call made by neighbour Gemma Allcott was also played. She said: "It sounds like my neighbours are doing something bad to their kid in the bath. Like they are really hurting them."

The 999 call Scott made to request an ambulance at 2.30pm on February 18, 2021 was also played to the court. She can be heard telling operators she could "feel a rattle" on her son’s chest and added: "He’s not breathing, but he keeps making noises."When the call handler asks "What noises?" Scott replies: "Lots of gargling noises."

Police arrived at the property to find Alfie not breathing and cold to the touch just six minutes after Scott made the call. Meanwhile, Howell fled the house and police body-cam footage captured him being arrested at Droitwich Railway Station trying to board a train.

West Mercia Police & the CPS react to the sentence of Carla Scott & Dirk Howell

Detective Chief Inspector Leighton Harding, of West Mercia Police, said: “I am pleased that justice has been done today for Alfie and our thoughts remain with his family, who have shown incredible strength and dignity throughout the investigation and trial.

"Alfie suffered the most horrifying physical and emotional abuse at the hands of Scott and Howell. It is unimaginable to consider the fear and distress Alfie must have felt during the events that led to his collapse and death.

“The conduct of Scott and Howell was nothing less than serious physical and emotional abuse, inflicting the most cruel and inhumane treatment of Alfie."

Paul Reid, from the Crown Prosecution Service, 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."