The BBCThe mother of a 14-week-old boy killed by his father says he should never be released on parole.
Sherry Blake’s son Cameron died in 2008 of brain swelling caused by severe blows to the head by Ryan Leslie at their Newtown baby home.
In 2011, Leslie was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years to life in prison.. She is due to be considered for parole in two years but before then Ms Black has been asked to submit a victim impact statement as part of a pre-tariff review.
A Justice Department spokesman said the Prison Service did not comment on individual prisoners.
He said, “On the broader issue of rehabilitation and rehabilitation in society, when a life prisoner is approaching the last three years of the minimum sentence imposed by the courts, a process of pre-release screening is required.” will begin to consider being suitable for,” he said. .
“Victims are an integral part of this and an impact statement will be requested to ensure their concerns are fully considered.”
At sentencing, the judge said there was a significant risk that Leslie would commit further specific offences, and that there was a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public.
He said Leslie had “brutalized and killed” his son.
Sherry Black‘He tried to avoid it’
Ms Blake was 18 when Cameron was killed.
Speaking to BBC News NI, he said he believed Ryan Leslie had shown no remorse and had not confessed to killing Cameron.
“I just think that if you were any kind of human being or human being or father, you would show some kind of remorse, or admit what you did, but this man didn’t, and I think he always has. It will remain,” he said.
“She tried to run away from him and I was so young at the time that I didn’t really understand what happened.”
Ms Black said she had been contacted by Northern Ireland’s parole commissioners to say Leslie’s parole process had begun and to request that she submit a victim impact statement.
She said it “brought back a flood of emotions” for her, but said it was “very important” that victims were part of the process.
“I think it’s a bittersweet situation. I never thought about it at the time, when it happened. I didn’t really know how I was going to do it, but I think the victims have So it’s good to do that.” .
“I think it’s part of your healing journey. So I think it’s very important.”
He added that he and his family would “have a bit of closure” if Leslie admitted what she had done.
Ms Black said she understood the justice system was there to rehabilitate offenders but believed Leslie had shown no signs of rehabilitation.
“He killed my son. Life should mean life, however I understand the judicial system, and there should be a tariff,” she said.
“However, I believe that if you have shown no remorse, if you have not rehabilitated, why should you be allowed back into the community? It makes no sense in my view.”
‘It still hurts’
Ms Black moved to Spain after Leslie was sentenced and said there was a “stigma” attached to her when she lived in Northern Ireland.
“When I lived here, I was known as the girl whose child was murdered,” he said.
“This whole situation with the impact statement, I think it was something I needed that I didn’t even realize. I think it’s part of my healing journey.
“I think it’s me coming back as a 35-year-old woman and saying: ‘Hey, yeah I’m the girl whose baby was murdered, but I’m a woman now, and this It still hurts like it did 16 years ago, and I don’t think this man should be let out for what he’s done.”
Ms Black has since connected on social media with other women whose children have been killed by their fathers or another family member.
“There must be a way for them to remember their children in a positive light,” he said.
“I know it sounds scary, but it’s the truth and, together with the women I have, I would like to create a safe space or a platform or a community where we women come together and remember our children. Positive light.
“It’s such a negative situation in my life, it’s not an easy story to tell, but I’d like to try to do something positive in Cameron’s memory.”