Kemarni Watson Darby: Case review into murder of three-year-old to be published 'shortly'

Convicted drug dealer 32-year-old Nathaniel Pope, of Wolverhampton, was found unanimously guilty on Tuesday after the jury heard evidence that Kemarni Watson Darby’s body, with 34 areas of injuries, had acted as a “silent witness” to his crime.

Kemarni’s mother, 30-year-old Alicia Watson, was cleared of murdering her son but found guilty of causing or allowing the child’s death.

A serious case review into the toddler's death was commissioned by the Sandwell Safeguarding Children Board before the four-month trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

Lesley Hagger, chair of the Sandwell Children’s Safeguarding Partnership, now says the results will be published shortly.

She went on: “This is a deeply upsetting case. Kemarni was a victim of horrifying abuse. He was ultimately murdered while in the care of people he should have been able to trust to protect him.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with all those who loved Kemarni.

“As a partnership, we continuously review how agencies work together to protect children and support families.

“Following Kemarni’s death, an independent review was commissioned, in line with the national Working Together 2015 guidance by the then Sandwell Safeguarding Children Board. The review looked carefully at the role of any services that Kemarni and his family had contact with and shared learning with professionals and agencies.

“There were no identified safeguarding concerns regarding Kemarni prior to his death in 2018, and there was no children’s social care involvement with him. But it’s vital that sad cases like these are thoroughly looked at and, where there are areas for improvement, that any necessary changes are made.

“The review report will now be updated to reflect the conclusion of the criminal proceedings and we will look to publish it as soon as possible.”

The trial was told Watson and Pope – who blamed each other – were “partners in crime” and even lived together for several months after Kemarni’s death.

The youngster died from abdominal injuries on June 5, 2018, after his ribcage was “crushed” at the couple’s flat in West Bromwich.

Pope, of Evans Street and Watson, of Radnor Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, were also convicted of a single count each of child cruelty to Kemarni between May 1 and June 5, 2018.

Mr Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting, said: “Kemarni suffered horrendous injuries – caused by levels of extreme force associated with a car crash.”

Also among the fatal injuries to Kemarni’s body were four rib fractures believed by pathologists to have been caused up to four weeks before he was killed at his home in Beaconview Road.

Pope, who was jailed for four months in 2011 for a brutal attack on a young mother on a London bus, claimed in court that he had not seen or heard the fatal attack on Kemarni.

Although Pope tried to blame Kemarni’s mother for inflicting repeated beatings on the three-year-old, Mr Badenoch told the trial: “The severity of Kemarni’s injuries were such that each defendant must have been aware that he had suffered really serious harm and would suffer in the same way in the event of further attacks.”

Watson, said to have a “zero to 100” temper, became angry while giving evidence, blaming Pope and claiming she only lived with him after her son’s death because she doubted the medical evidence.

Both Pope and Watson will be sentenced at a later date.