Jacob Lennon: ‘Utterly vile’ mother and partner jailed for murder of 15-month-old boy

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The mother of 15-month-old Jacob Lennon and her partner have been jailed for the toddler’s murder.

Jacob died of a brain injury on August 27, 2019, and a post mortem discovered 20 other injuries on his body, which had been suffered over weeks before his death.

Jacob’s mother Louise Lennon, 32, of Ingrave Street, Battersea, and her partner Jake Drummond, 33, of Tunworth Crescent, Roehampton, were both sentenced today at the Old Bailey for their role in Jacob’s murder.

Louise Lennon and Jake Drummond (Picture: The Met)

Louise Lennon was jailed for 10 years for neglect and causing or allowing the death of her son, while Drummond was sentenced to 32 years after he was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and murder.

Warning, this article contains distressing details

The court heard how the investigation began following a call to officers on the day Jacob was killed to a home in Putney.

The London Ambulance Service informed police that they were responding to reports of a child in cardiac arrest.

Jacob was taken to a west London hospital where he was pronounced dead. A post mortem found traumatic brain injuries, some of which were from a period of days or weeks earlier.

The cause of death was a fatal brain injury inflicted some three to five hours before Jacob’s death.

In addition to this, there were 20 further marks of recent injury on Jacob’s head, face and neck, 11 to his arms, seven to his legs and seven to his body.

His genitals were also found to have suffered severe injuries. Lennon told officers that Drummond claimed to her that these injuries had been caused by another child using a toy plastic knife.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said: “This has been a difficult case for everyone involved and one of the most distressing in my 30 years in the police. I would like to thank my team and all those who supported the prosecution for their professionalism and diligence.”

“Drummond did not shown any remorse throughout the trial and had offered no explanation as to why he committed such heinous acts. The sentence passed today truly reflects the utterly vile way that this defenceless child lost his life at the hands of Jake Dummond.

“As his mother, Louise Lennon should have been Jacob’s protector and the sentence she received today reflects how she unfortunately failed at that. She prioritised her relationship with Drummond over the life of her child.

“This sentencing will undoubtedly bring the raw emotions of Jacob’s murder back to those who loved him; while his death will continue to have a devastating impact on them I can only hope that seeing those responsible jailed will afford them some sense of justice.”

Pictured top: 15-month-old Jacob Lennon (Picture: The Met)

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