Isabella Wheildon: Mother's partner guilty of murder of two-year-old girl

  • Hannah Pettifer reports from Ipswich Crown Court for ITV News Anglia

A man who kicked a two-year-old girl to death has been found guilty of her murder.

A jury took less than a day to return a guilty verdict against Scott Jeff, 24, for murdering Isabella Wheildon.

Isabella's mother, former nursery worker Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, who was standing trial alongside her then-partner, was cleared of murder at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday.

Gleason-Mitchell, 24 and of no fixed address, was cleared of murder but had already pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child and two counts of child cruelty.

Jeff, who jurors heard was regularly hitting and beating Isabella behind closed doors, was also found guilty of two counts of child cruelty.

Suffolk Police found the toddler dead in a locked bathroom at a temporary housing unit in Ipswich on 30 June last year, after Gleason-Mitchell confided in a friend who raised concerns with officers.

Isabella Wheildon in a picture posted on her mother's Instagram account. Credit: Credit: Instagram/Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell

Isabella suffered a catalogue of horrific injuries before her death, with prosecutor Sally Howes KC telling jurors the toddler's likely cause of death was "either kicking or stamping".

Det Ch Insp Craig Powell said: "The murder of any child is in my opinion the worst crime imaginable.

"When they are killed at the hands of those that are supposed to protect and care for such a young and innocent life, it is somehow even worse.

"This poor family have had to endure not only the loss of their precious Isabella, but they’ve been subject to hearing the most harrowing details of her final few weeks of life.

Scott Jeff, right, was convicted of murder and Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell was cleared. Credit: Suffolk Police

"These details included the suffering delivered by Scott whilst her mother Chelsea Gleeson Mitchell stood by, did nothing to intervene, despite having so much opportunity to have done something to stop it.

"I want to pay my respects and thanks to the family of Isabella, who have since the very beginning of this investigation, put their unwavering faith and trust in the team. The family remains so dignified and brave, even faced with detailed evidence at the lengthy trial.

"This trial and the pain and suffering which it has caused was only necessary due to Scott unsuccessfully attempting to deny his guilt."

Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell had moved to the Ipswich area from Bedfordshire, hoping to be rehoused.Gleason-Mitchell had told the court that Jeff had insisted on disciplining Isabella and taking charge of her toilet training, punishing her when she made mistakes by beating her.

Prosecutor Sally Howes KC told jurors that Isabella was a “healthy, contented, well-cared for little girl until Scott Jeff came into her young life”.

“Towards the end of May 2023, he entered a relationship with Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell,” said Ms Howes, as she opened the prosecution case last month.

“From that time up to her death, Isabella was subjected to a regime of escalating brutality which was callous, cruel and ultimately fatal.”

She said Isabella’s “own mother Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell stood back, watched, did nothing and allowed this to happen”.

Gleason-Mitchell earlier admitted that her desire to be with Jeff and a fear of loneliness without him meant she had sacrificed her daughter’s safety.The court heard the child’s body had been wheeled around in a pushchair after she died because the couple did not want staff at their accommodation to find her.

Jeff will be sentenced on 13 December.

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