The evil dad who was so jealous of his own baby he killed him in his cot

An evil dad was branded one of the 'worst' killers a detective had ever come across after he killed his own three-week-old baby.

Denis Beytula was so jealous of the attention that his baby son Andrei was getting from his mother, he brutally stabbed him as he lay in his own cot. He also attacked his partner and the baby's mum, Andreea Stefan, during the horrific rampage.

Five years on from the horrifying murder, our colleagues at Chronicle Live have taken a look back at the case. You can read Sophie Doughty's report below.

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He should have loved and protected him above all others. But evil Denis Beytula murdered his own baby son because he was jealous of the attention the newborn was getting from his mother.

In a crime that sent shockwaves of horror across Tyneside controlling Beytula fatally stabbed his three-week-old boy, Andrei, as he lay in his cot five years ago today. The then 27-year-old also knifed his partner and the baby's mum, Andreea Stefan, during his terrifying fit of rage at the home they all shared in Howdon, Wallsend.

Andreea survived but baby Andrei died in hospital four days later. Beytula was jailed for life after pleading guilty to murder and attempted murder. And today on the fifth anniversary of the most horrifying of crimes, we take a look back at the killing, and the almost unimaginable motive behind it.

To the outside world, Beytula may have appeared to be a loving partner to his pregnant girlfriend and an excited dad-to-be. But behind the closed doors of their Wallsend home he was a jealous, controlling and manipulative brute.

After Andreea gave birth to the couple’s first son, instead of doting on the helpless newborn, Beytula became jealous of the attention the tiny boy was getting from his mum. And his evil envy exploded one afternoon in October 2019 with fatal consequences.

After a row over where Andreea would get her hair done, the twisted new dad took a kitchen knife and stabbed their baby son Andrei while he slept in his moses basket and stabbed his partner repeatedly. Newcastle Crown Court heard how Beytula's resentment for his baby became clear soon after Andrei was born.

Prosecutor Nick Dry explained how Beytula “showed a lack of interest and even detachment from his son”, and “that lack of fatherly love and affection set the tone for his son’s brief life”. When the new family got home from hospital Beytula was resentful of the baby and his partner, choking her on one occasion and becoming convinced that she was planning to leave him for another man.

Chillingly he threatened he would kill them both before allowing this to happen. On the night before the murder Beytula threatened Andreea with a knife after he initiated sexual contact with her, but she went to tend to baby Andrei after he began to cry, the court was told.

The following day he went out and then returned to the home in a violent rage. After threatening to kill himself Beytula stood over Andrei's moses basket and stabbed him in front of Andreea. He then turned to knife on his partner stabbing her repeatedly.

Takeaway worker Beytula then left the couple's flat and dialled 999. Audio of the chilling call was released after the killer was sentenced. And Beytula’s lack of remorse or regret was clearly evident in his voice as he said: “I just killed my baby and my wife.”

Beytula’s arrest was captured on police officers’ body-worn cameras. As cops arrive at the scene Beytula, with blood on his hands, calmly directs officers to the flat. And when asked if his partner is still alive he takes on a dismissive tone to say: “I don’t know.”

After the brute was locked up for a minimum of 23 years the detective that brought him to justice explained why he believed he was the most evil killer he had encountered in his police career. Then, detective inspector, Graeme Dodds, of Northumbria Police told the Chronicle: “He was jealous of his own son.

"He killed his own son and tried to take the life of his partner, the mother of his child, all because he was jealous. He was jealous of his son because Andreea loved him and he was jealous she loved someone more than him.

"I have been a police officer for 20 years, and not only is this the worst case I have had to investigate, but I would say he is the worst offender I have come across. To take the life of a three-week old baby, in his own cot in his own home where he should have been safe makes him the worst individual I have had to investigate."

Andreea, who was a manager at Dominos Pizza, met Beytula through work acquaintances and their relationship began in August 2018. The court was told how Beytula became obsessed with his partner and was jealous and insecure throughout the relationship.

He insisted on having access to her phone and criticized her for having male Facebook friends. And when Andreea was invited to attend a work awards ceremony in London Beytula stopped her from going.

When Andreea fell pregnant, Beytula showed no understanding of her reduced interest in sex and instead became ever more insecure and angry, taking away presents he had given her, the court heard. But Beytula was so manipulative no one could see how dangerous he really was until it was too late.

As the couple looked forward to the arrival of their first child, Beytula presented an image of a doting dad-to-be to the outside world, meaning no one could spot the cruel control he was exerting over Andreea behind closed doors. And after seeing her son’s killer jailed Andreea made a defiant statement in which she explained how Beytula controlled her mind.

She said: "I have spent every second of my life since that day looking for reasons that could have made the outcome different. I have blamed myself for not breaking up with Denis earlier but only those who have been in a controlling relationship will understand why I stayed.

“He made me feel like I could not find anyone better and that nobody else could be a father to our son. He manipulated me and said everything he did was for love. But now I know that what he had for me was not love. Love doesn’t try to control you, love doesn’t threaten you and love doesn’t kill babies."

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