A postman who killed his girlfriend’s 18-month-old son after a series of assaults has been jailed for nine years.

Devout Christian Scott Coombe repeatedly caused bruises and minor injuries to Andrew Cawker before losing “control” and killing him on July 22, 2019.

The 24-year-old, of Petts Wood, south-east London, had been “besotted” with the child’s mother Tamika Beaton but struggled to cope, the Old Bailey heard.

Initially, the couple had wrongly blamed Andrew’s injuries on his father Ben Cawker and on the child’s “clumsy” nature.

Following his death, Coombe even claimed he had raised concern with his brother, who was a serving police officer.

Last year, Coombe admitted manslaughter and child cruelty relating to three earlier incidents of assault or mistreatment.

Beaton, 25, from Peckham, south-east London, was found guilty of child cruelty by wilful neglect following a trial.

On Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC jailed Coombe at the Old Bailey for nine years.

He sentenced Beaton to 12 months in custody suspended for 18 months.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “In his short life, Andrew Cawker paid the highest price for the anger of his mother’s boyfriend and her negligence.

"It underlines in the most tragic way the vulnerability of young children who are entirely dependent on those responsible for their safety and wellbeing.

“It is vital that any learnings that come out of the review into the circumstances around Andrew’s death are taken onboard, so everything possible is done to help prevent children suffering abuse.

“We would urge anyone concerned for the safety or wellbeing of a child to speak out and seek support by contacting the NSPCC Helpline or local authorities, or if a young person is in immediate danger, by calling 999.”