Dad who blamed son's death on falling out of tree admits murdering him in Derbyshire country park
A man has admitted to murdering his son, 11, near a country park in Derbyshire.
Michael Harrison, 41, initially told police that his son Mikey Harrison had suffered injuries as a result of falling out of a tree close to Shipley Country Park in Heanor.
He pleaded guilty to murder at Derby Crown Court today (Monday 3 April).
Ambulance crews were called to the Thorpes Road area at around 1.15pm on Saturday, June 18 2022, after receiving a report that Mikey was injured.
He died later in hospital, after suffering abdominal injuries caused by punches to the stomach from his father.
In December, the Harrison pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mikey when he appeared over a link from HMP Nottingham into Derby Crown Court.
He admitted to causing the death of the boy but denied a more serious charge of murdering him which he has today, Monday April 3, admitted.At a previous hearing, his barrister, Vanessa Marshall KC, said: "I can make it clear it is the defendant's case that his son did not fall out of a tree but that he punched his abdomen area several times. There was a subsequent fall by his son where he fell in a bathroom and Mr Harrison believes he sustained a head injury and may well have fallen on his stomach."He said: “Mr Harrison, you will be sentenced on a date to be fixed. Clearly it is a life sentence but we have to decide what the tariff (minimum number of years before he is eligible to apply for parole) will be and that will be decided when I have heard from Mr (Peter) Joyce (the prosecutor) and Miss Marshall.”In a statement released shortly after Mikey's death, Chief Superintendent Hayley Barnett, of Derbyshire Police, said: “I completely understand that the tragic news of a young boy’s death has sparked shock and concern in the local community and that people will speculate about the circumstances surrounding the death.“As is always the case once charges are brought, we are limited in what we can say due to ongoing court proceedings. I would, however, like to offer reassurance to the public, that we are treating this as an isolated incident."