The devastated father of a murdered toddler has bravely spoken of the heartbreak that he and his family has been suffering since their world was turned upside down.
Stefan Green stood up in court to give an emotional statement to express the trauma of losing his two-year-old son at the hands of his former partner.
Carol Hodgson admitted murdering Daniel James Hodgson Green on the day she was due to make a court appearance to discuss Mr Green's future access to his beloved son.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 40-year-old placed a plastic bag over the toddler's head to suffocate him before making a failed attempt on her own life.
Today, Mr Green had his moment in court in the most unimaginable and painful way.
Addressing the court, he said: "I wish I could say more about Daniel's personality, but we only knew him as a baby before Carol disappeared with him and cut off all contact.
"As a baby he was wonderful, he rarely fussed unless hungry, and he loved to play 'peek-a-boo'. He loved his cuddles with all of us.
"He was my entire world, the day he was born I truly knew what love was, I knew what it was felt like to have a higher purpose, to do everything within my power to give him the best life, one full of love and happiness, to catch him when he fell, to wipe away his tears after heartbreak, and to hold him high whether he succeeded or failed.
"When he was taken from me I used to call him my North Star, the guiding light home. The idea of seeing him again kept me pushing forward, gave me strength I never knew I had.
"I miss hearing him laugh, holding him in my arms, cradling him to sleep. I miss coming home from work to feed him, to hush him back to sleep, looking into his lovely blue eyes and getting completely lost in how lucky I was that he was my son.
"His loss had taken a heavy toll on our family and loved ones. The schocking nature of the loss has made everything worse.
"When I first found out I felt everything from searing rage to broken heartache, then for months I was numb, with outbursts of emotion."
Read more: Evil killer left chilling note for her mother after suffocating two-year-old son
Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, sentenced Hodgson, of Upper Garth Gardens, Guisborough, to life in prison for the cruel murder.
Read more: Judge's damning words as mum sentenced to life for murdering her two year-old son
He told her she would serve a minimum of 18 years before she could be considered for release.
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