A twenty-two-year-old man admitted to killing his infant daughter, describing in detail what had taken place. After being convicted, he met a gruesome fate in prison when fellow inmates became aware of his crime.
Baby Luna was only two days old when her mother, Karen Bissett, went upstairs in their family home so she could get some much-needed rest, leaving Liam Deane, the father of the infant, in charge of the baby. Karen could never fathom that a few short hours later, the little girl would be dead.
According to The Sun, Deane punched Luna in the face, squeezed her body and arms, and shook her. Luna was later taken to Leeds General Infirmary where she died while in intensive care. Michael Smith, the prosecutor during Deane’s trial, said the baby had injuries to her brain, body, and face. “[Liam Deane] said he was responsible for all of the injuries that she had suffered, and he said that Luna had not settled down and he lost control,” the prosecutor said.
A doctor concluded Luna had died after suffering head trauma, leaving her with “catastrophic brain injuries.” Deane broke down when interviewed by police and admitted he was responsible for attacking the baby. During the trial, a statement from the mother was read in court. “Seeing Luna on life support in the hospital will last with me forever,” Luna’s mom said. “I can’t describe how that felt. I would not wish it upon my worst enemy.”
Deane, described as “An evil father who punched his two-day-old baby girl to death after she would not stop ‘crying,’” was jailed for life, The Sun reported. In addition to being given a life sentence, Deane was told he must serve a minimum of ten years in prison. However, that wasn’t the last the public would ever hear of Deane.
After just one month in prison, a fellow inmate, 28-year-old John Westland, ended Liam Deane’s life in a gruesome way. “[John Westland] used a broken bottle of aftershave to kill his cellmate and the victim had shown signs of asphyxiation caused by pressure to his head and face,” BBC reported. “Deane was found covered in blood in a cell by prison guards. Shards of glass were found on a chair near the bunk bed with fingerprints matching Westland’s.”
At his trial for Deane’s murder, Westland described the days leading up to his cellmate’s demise. Westland told the jury Deane was regularly called a “baby killer” around the prison and faced daily threats and taunting because of the nature of his conviction. He also said his cellmate was in financial debt with other prisoners.
John Westland was given life in prison for killing Liam Deane and was admonished by the judge at his sentencing. “You told the jury that you believed Liam Deane was a sex offender, but he was not,” the presiding judge said. “He had committed a very serious crime, but had admitted it from the first and was trying to come to terms with what he had done.”
West Yorkshire Police described Deane’s killing of his newborn daughter as “an appalling crime that tore her family apart,” but they said he was entitled to serve his time in prison. Nevertheless, there were many from the community who felt what Westland did to Deane was righteous “prison justice.”
“Good. Got what he deserved and the taxpayers won’t have to pay for his keep any longer. Hope he suffered,” Beverly Milburn wrote. “No sympathy for anyone that can do what he did to little Luna. Karma,” Katie Grantham declared.
“Poor little angel. Tiny innocent life. Rot in hell and be punished every single day. A little baby’s life taken. F**k you. Karma,” Yvonne Dempsey commented on Facebook.
“No one likes a baby killer even hard criminals inside. He got what he deserved,” Marie Ryan Higgins said.
Even among murders, drug dealers, burglars, and worse, those who commit crimes against children are considered the lowest of the low. Some crimes are so heinous that even God-fearing people say death is warranted for those who cross the line and commit the most unspeakable of acts.
Perhaps that’s why some people feel a sense of satisfaction when criminals receive prison justice. Although that doesn’t bring Luna back, we can hope her mother finds some peace knowing the man responsible no longer walks this earth. Hopefully, she is able to remember her daughter with only joy and happiness in her heart.
