A Workington man has been convicted of his four-month-old baby.

Reece Kelly, aged 31, was today, November 1,found guilty of murdering his son, Dallas Kelly, following an incident on October 15, 2021.

He was also found guilty of child cruelty.  

Dallas’ mother, Georgia Wright, aged 23, was found guilty of child cruelty. 

Their convictions follow a trial lasting more than two weeks at Carlisle Crown Court.

At 12:22pm on 15 October 2021, the North West Ambulance Service received a call from Reece Kelly stating that Dallas was not breathing. Paramedics attended and quickly transported Dallas to West

Cumberland Hospital and then transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where Dallas was on life support. 

Sadly, despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Dallas died on October 19, 2021.

A jury heard from several medical experts who described the multiple injuries found on Dallas at the time of his death. They found that the injuries suffered were consistent with being shaken with significant force.  

Detectives found evidence of both parents acting in a cruel and neglectful manner towards Dallas. Evidence found that the pair had failed to take Dallas to medical appointments, failed to provide adequate parental supervision and exposed him to harmful substances.

The court heard how the pair prioritised their own drug-taking ahead of him.

It was established via medical experts appointed during the investigation, that Dallas had previous injuries including a rib fracture and a brain injury which occurred on separate occasions. 

Despite the evidence against them, both continually denied acting in a cruel or neglectful way towards Dallas.  

Reece Kelly and Georgia Wright, both of Hunday Court, Workington, pleaded not guilty to all initial charges put before them. On the first day of the trial, nearly two years after the fatal incident, Reece Kelly admitted manslaughter.  

They will be sentenced on Monday, November 20, 2023.

Detective Superintendent Jenny Beattie, who led the investigation into Dallas’ death, said: “Both Reece Kelly and Georgia Wright denied their involvement throughout a lengthy and thorough criminal investigation into the death of their son.

“It took until the first day of the trial for Reece Kelly to admit manslaughter, however the evidence collated underlined he used significant force in shaking Dallas.  

“A jury have heard the evidence gathered by the officers of Cumbria Constabulary and put before them by the Crown Prosecution Service – and found them guilty. I would like to thank the jury for the attention they have shown during a trial containing distressing evidence.  

“I would also like to thank our colleagues within the Crown Prosecution Service and prosecuting counsel Mr Richard Littler KC and Mr Tim Evans for the manner in which the case has been prepared and delivered at trial. 

“As a parent you have no greater responsibility than to your child. Reece Kelly and Georgia Wright did not provide the care that a young child requires. 

“They regularly left Dallas unsupervised whilst they took drugs. They failed to take him to medical appointments and are still to take full responsibility for their actions.  

“Lastly, I must thank the dedicated team of officers and staff from Cumbria Constabulary who worked on this investigation. The impact this has had on everyone involved in this case is significant, yet we have diligently worked to establish the facts.  

“From the outset, the objective of our investigation was to robustly and sensitively establish what happened to Dallas. No verdict or sentence will bring Dallas back; however, we now know that the person responsible for his death has been brought to justice.”