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Undated family handout photo issued by Merseyside Police of 13-year-old Layla Allen who died in a house fire near Liverpool. The blaze was found in the first-floor rear bedroom of a mid-terraced house in Kingsway, Prescot, late on Wednesday evening, Merseyside Police said. Issue date: Friday April 4, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Prescot. Photo credit should read: Family Handout/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

Schoolgirl, 13, dies after 'bunk bed set on fire with a lighter while she slept'

UK January 17, 2026 By Sam Corbishley

$A twisted Tinder fiend who targeted a new mum to sexually abuse her 10-week-old baby was jailed for life today(fri).Evil Christopher Phillips, 34 (pictured) was "actively looking for a baby? when he joined the dating app Tinder to seek out new mums.He then targeted the baby's innocent mum after seeing a picture of her clutching her newborn.A court heard he went on to recognise she was vulnerable and ?cynically exploited it" and did all he could to "gain unfettered access? to the child.Phillips went on to commit a string of offences against a tiny 10 week old boy who was named only as Baby C.Phillips caused the child a bleed on the brain, multiple fractures, severe bruising along with injuries to his testicles and anusThe injuries were akin to a child being "hit by a bus."A judge said the case was the "most distressing" he had dealt with in his 40 year career and jailed Phillips for life.Judge Paul Thomas KC told him: "That utterly defenceless baby had his bottom ripped open to satisfy your grotesque sexual perversion.?The judge prebiously told him: "In my over forty years of experience, this has been the most distressing case I have ever had to deal with."This has truly shaken me to my core."Swansea Crown Court heard police and social services were made aware that the 10-week-old infant had suffered suspected "non-accidental" injuries when he was taken by ambulance to Glangwili Hospital in the early hours of January 24, 2021.An examination found the infant had a fractured ankle and wrist, six fractured ribs, and a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.Phillips was found guilty of two offences of sexual assault by penetration against the infant, actual bodily and two offences of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.He was cleared of two offences of causing GBH with intent and of two alternative offences of inflicting GBH.The baby's mother was found not guilty on both counts of allowing her child to suffer serious physical harm and child neglect that she faced.Phillips, of Burton, Pembs, was jailed for life and told he must serve at least 16 years and 25 days behind bars.WALES NEWS SERVICE$