A father has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his two-week-old premature son in a Somerset hospital. Daniel Gunter, 27, was convicted of killing baby Brendon Staddon inside the special care unit at Yeovil District Hospital.

Doctors found Brendon fatally injured after his mother told nurses he was cold. Despite desperate efforts, the baby could not be saved. “He was so tiny but so beautiful,” Brendon’s grandfather said. “We will never see his first smile.”

The court heard Gunter inflicted catastrophic injuries, including a broken neck and fractured skull, just yards from staff. Judge Swift called Brendon a “highly vulnerable victim” and said the violence showed “an intention to kill.”

Detectives described the attack as “utterly horrific,” while hospital officials said the case was “incredibly distressing.” Gunter will serve at least 20 years before parole is considered.

This heartbreaking case has shaken the community, leaving family and friends mourning a little boy who never had the chance to grow.