Kol Page manslaughter: Scott O’Connor and Zoe Coutts imprisoned over death of 4-year-old

A woman’s ex-boyfriend was imprisoned for the manslaughter of her young son, while he himself was imprisoned for allowing his child’s death.

Kol Page was subjected to escalating violence while in the couple’s care in April 2022.

He died in June 2024, aged four, as a result of his injuries.

Scott O’Connor, 36, was sentenced to 18 years in prison and five years on extended licence, at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.

Kol’s mother, Zoe Coutts, 35, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors had previously said Kol’s “catastrophic” injuries were caused by the force “seen in a serious traffic accident or falling from a height onto a hard object.”

Jurors cleared the couple of murder but found Coutts guilty of causing or permitting the death of a child and O’Connor guilty of manslaughter of her then-boyfriend.

His Honor Judge Johnson said O’Connor had carried out a “deliberate attack” on an “innocent and defenseless two-year-old child”.

Sentencing O’Connor, the judge told him: “You struck a two-year-old child with sufficient force to tear internal tissues and cause catastrophic bleeding.

“You have shown no remorse, no insight and no acceptance of responsibility.”

After being jailed, O’Connor shouted as he was led away: “For something I didn’t do, mate.”

The judge said Coutts, who cried as he was sentenced, said he “did not commit direct violence” but “failed to take the necessary steps to protect him (Kol) from your partner, despite obvious signs of what had happened”.

Sentencing Coutts, the judge said: “You must have known that the injuries were inflicted by Scott O’Connor.

Instead of protecting Kol from O’Connor, you continued living with him.

“Instead of taking Kol to the medical attention he clearly needed, you went to watch a football game with Scott O’Connor.”

The judge told the pair: “Each of you continues to deny responsibility, each blaming the other.

“None of you have shown any remorse.”

The arm suffered increasingly severe bruising and was photographed with two black eyes on April 9, 2022; Medical experts told jurors during the trial that the bruising was likely caused by two punches.

Prosecutor Ed Vickers KC said the couple went to a football match rather than seek medical attention for the bruised toddler.

During the trial, jurors were shown text messages between the couple, who met on the dating app Bumble, including a conversation that took place on the morning of April 20, 2022.

In response, Coutts texted O’Connor to say Kol was “whining” and O’Connor responded: “Jesus put him back to sleep hahaha.”

Kol, who was called to the emergency room on April 25, 2022, was hospitalized and underwent surgery, and 3 injuries were observed in the small intestine.

Prosecutors said the injuries were caused by significant force applied to the abdomen from punching, kicking or stamping.

Kol suffered internal bleeding as a result of his injuries which led to cardiac arrest resulting in severe brain damage.

His injuries were so severe that doctors were unable to give him enough medication to relieve his pain without risking his death, and he died two years after being cared for by a foster family.

In a victim impact statement, Kol’s foster family described how seriously injured he was and how they initially moved to hospital to care for him.

Kol’s stepmother said he was “in a lot of pain” and had “cared for him all night.”

Charles Langley KC, mitigating Coutts’ sentence, said it was O’Connor who “caused all of Kol’s injuries”.

Michael Turner KC, mitigating O’Connor’s sentence, said he had experienced a “momentary loss of control” and did not intend to kill Kol.

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, who led the homicide investigation, said: “Kol was an innocent little boy who was subjected to horrific abuse where he should have been safest: at home with his mother.

“Coutts and her boyfriend O’Connor attempted to deceive paramedics, doctors and police officers by telling lie after lie about how Kol was so badly injured.

“He was loud, brash, and endlessly loving to everyone who knew him. He should have had a bright future, but instead he was let down by those who were supposed to protect him the most.”

Richard Murrison, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Kol was a little boy who deserved to be safe, loved and protected.

“The fact that he was failed so disastrously by the people who should have cared for him most is something that will remain with everyone involved in this case.

“Scott O’Connor subjected Kol to a campaign of harassment so severe it eventually cost him his life. His own mother, Zoe Coutts, did nothing to protect him, stop the abuse or report what was happening.”

An NSPCC spokesman said it was a “heartbreaking case” and that “Kol was subjected to sustained violence which caused catastrophic injuries and eventually led to his death”.

They added: “Babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to abuse as they are completely dependent on the adults around them for care and protection. “There may also be no regular interaction with professionals if parents or carers choose to care for their children at home and keep others away.

“We all have a part to play in keeping children safe, and sometimes that means asking tough questions and considering the unthinkable. We all need to challenge what doesn’t seem right and share our concerns with those who can intervene.”

“Anyone with concerns about the welfare or safety of a child can contact the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk. If a child is in immediate danger, people should call the police on 999.”