A teenage mother has been found guilty of murdering her newborn son at her parents’ home in Herefordshire.
Paris Mayo, now aged 19 but who was 15 at the time of the incident, was convicted at Worcester Crown Court over the death of her son Stanley in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, in March 2019.
She cried in the dock after the jurors returned their verdict following more than eight hours of deliberations.
Warning: The following article contains details of a graphic nature
Mayo gave birth to Stanley alone in a living room at her parents’ home, while they were upstairs unaware, the court previously heard.
She stuffed cotton wool balls down her son’s throat then dumped his body in a binbag and left it on the front doorstep, before going to bed.
Her mother found the lifeless infant the following morning after looking inside the blood-stained bag and alerting the police.
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Mayo appeared in court on Friday dressed in a black t-shirt, black and white patterned skirt and white trainers.
The judge, Mr Justice Garnham, remanded Mayo, in custody ahead of her sentence, scheduled for next Monday.
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Image: Mayo, now 19, gave birth to the infant aged 15 alone at her parents’ home in Herefordshire
The jury of five men and seven women delivered a majority guilty verdict on Friday afternoon.
Mayo is said to have covered up both her pregnancy and giving birth – claiming she was unaware she was expecting.
She said he was “born cold, did not make any noise and hit his head on the floor when he was born”, police revealed.
He was born full term and lived for at least two hours, the court heard.
She assaulted the baby, who weighed 7lb 12oz (3.56kg), after delivering him unaided at her parents’ property in Springfield Avenue.
He suffered a fractured skull believed to have been caused by Mayo putting her foot on his head,
A consultant paediatrician concluded Stanley “may have suffered a significant crush injury to his head from opposite sides, for example, beneath her foot”, prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC told jurors.
Image: Mayo, now 19, gave birth to the infant aged 15 alone at her parents’ home in Herefordshire
She then stuffed cotton wool balls into his mouth – with two found lodged deep in his throat, the court heard.
Mayo, of Ruardean in Gloucestershire, was arrested and interviewed twice about the tragedy, first in 2019 and again in 2021.
At the conclusion of the evidence, Mr Justice Garnham apologised to the jury, telling them: “I am sorry this has been hard to listen to, it has been hard work to read it out as well.”
Before sending them out to deliberate on Wednesday, the judge urged them not to “rush into a verdict”, adding: “The people involved in this case deserve your complete attention.”
Speaking outside the court, senior investigating officer, Detective inspector Julie Taylor, said: “The death of a new-born baby is utterly heart-breaking, even more so when the person who is responsible is the baby’s own mother.
“This has been a devastating case for the investigative team to deal with and I would like to thank those involved for their outstanding efforts to ensure justice has been done today.”
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.
England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.
Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).
They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.
Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.
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2:44
England and Scotland learn World Cup fate
Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.
Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Image: Pic: Reuters
Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.
Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Image: Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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1:20
‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.
This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.
The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.
Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.
Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”
This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.
England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.
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Image: Pic: Reuters
But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.
There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.
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0:35
England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw
“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”
Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.
“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.
There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.
“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”
But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.
Image: Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
Image: Pic: Reuters
And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?
How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?
Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.
Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.
And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.
The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.
This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.
It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.
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1:20
‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.
But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.
The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.