Sean Anthony Sadler

2 offences

What the court heard

He was found guilty of murder in Birmingham, West Midlands, on 19 November 2017. Sentencing Remarks 1. Sean Sadler you have been found guilty by the jury of the murder of a toddler Lilly Hanrahan (Count 1), and of having subjected her to a serious assault some 7 to 10 days before her death (Count 2). You are now aged 32 years. 2. Lilly died in the Birmingham Children's Hospital on Wednesday 22 November 2017 as a result of the catastrophic brain injuries she suffered following a violent assault by you on Sunday 19 November 2017. You inflicted these injuries upon Lilly when you were meant to be looking after her at what should have been a place of safety- her home, 33 The Green, Northfield. 3. Lilly was a healthy and delightful girl of 21 months at the time you killed her. She was under the legal guardianship of her relative Helen Corlett. Following a challenging start in life because of her mother's heroin addiction, Lilly had joined Helen and her 3 daughters at The Green in July 2016. Those girls were aged 4,8 and 10, respectively and Lilly became their sister. 4. This morning I have heard a moving statement from the family to the court about Lilly and her role in their lives. As described Sophie Hanrahan who read this statement to me, Lilly was loving, cheeky and a perfect little girl. I was told Lilly was mostly shy and cautious around new people, but it would never take long before she was dancing around with her arms in the air. That sounds like exactly the girl described by those who knew her from the Fig Tree Nursery. 5. As I have said, having come to live at The Green, Lilly became one of four sisters in a loving family. Helen was a devoted and kind mother to all of them. Despite the difficulties of being a single parent, Helen went out of her way to provide unconditional love and care to all of her girls. 6. You came into this happy family's life when Helen rekindled an earlier relationship with you in April 2017. During the course of that year you came to spend nights at The Green and in due course ended up spending most of your time there. From around late August 2017, Helen began to leave Lilly in your care when she was busy taking the other girls to dance lessons or attending her University courses. 7. From September 2017, Helen began to notice bruising on Lilly and you yourself started to photograph such injuries and encouraged Helen to do so. I am satisfied so that I am sure that many of these injuries were caused by you and your…

Around this case

• Birmingham Crown Court
• Prosecuted by CPS West Midlands
• Investigated by West Midlands Police