Jealous father jailed for murdering three-week-old son in Moses basket
Denis Beytula was jealous of the attention his partner gave their young son and stabbed him twice.
Thursday 19 December 2019 23:56, UK
A jealous father has been jailed for life for murdering his three-week-old son because he saw him as a rival for his partner's attention.
Denis Beytula had previously warned his partner "if I cannot be a good father to him he will not live", a court has heard.
Beytula stabbed newborn Andrei Stefan twice while he lay in his Moses basket in October at their family home in Wallsend, North Tyneside.
The 27-year-old stabbed his partner Andreea Stefan six times.
Beytula called 999 and told the arresting officer "I killed them" when asked why he had blood on him.
Ms Stefan survived the attack and released a statement to tell how she had been under her partner's control when she and her baby should have been safe.
Detective Inspector Graeme Dodds, who said Beytula was the worst offender he had ever come across, said: "He saw him not as a son, in a loving fatherly way, he saw him as a rival for Andreea's affections.
"Because of that jealousy and selfishness he killed Andrei and tried to kill Andreea."
Beytula, a fast food worker, came to the UK from Bulgaria seven years ago and the couple had met at the end of 2018, with Andrei born in September.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Beytula controlled her, made her feel insecure and stopped her having friendships outside the home.
He tried to get a job at the Domino's pizza store where she worked as a manager and stopped her attending the chain's awards ceremony in London.
During Ms Stefan's pregnancy, Beytula once warned her about their unborn son: "If I cannot be a good father to him, he will not live. I gave him life and I will take life", according to prosecutor Nick Dry.
Beytula's influence worsened after Andrei was born, and he became jealous of the attention she gave her son. Mr Dodds said Beytula reacted badly when he heard Ms Stefan's mother speaking lovingly to her grandson in Romanian, when his shared language with his partner was English.
Police and social services were unaware of concerns about Beytula because no reports or complaints had been made about his behaviour.
In a statement, Ms Stefan, 21, said: "Denis was a man who was supposed to love me and my son. He was supposed to take care of us and keep us safe.
"But in one moment Denis shattered my whole world. In that one moment my heart was broken and my worst nightmare came true."
She added: "I have spent every second of my life since that day looking for reasons that could have made the outcome different.
"I have blamed myself for not breaking up with Denis earlier but only those who have been in a controlling relationship will understand why I stayed.
"He made me feel like I could not find anyone better and that nobody else could be a father to our son. He manipulated me and said everything he did was for love.
"But now I know that what he had for me was not love. Love doesn't try to control you, love doesn't threaten you and love doesn't kill babies."
Speaking about the heartbreak of her baby's death, she said: "I remember Andrei being brought to me in hospital so I could have one last goodbye before he took his last breath.
"I suffered six stab wounds myself and had lots of internal bleeding but that pain was nothing compared to the pain of my broken heart.
"I will never see him grow up, make friends, go to school or get married. No parent should have to attend their child's funeral or see their baby in a coffin."
Beytula was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years.
He had presented himself as someone with a mental illness, but psychiatrists found no condition. Mr Dodds said: "There was nothing wrong with him, he knew what he was doing."