Killer of Alfie Steele cannot appeal against conviction, judges rule

A man who was given a life sentence for the murder of his partner’s nine-year-old son cannot appeal against his conviction, Court of Appeal judges have ruled.

Dirk Howell was jailed for at least 32 years after a jury convicted him of killing Alfie Steele, who was repeatedly beaten and held down in a cold bath.

Alfie died on February 18 2021 after being found with 50 injuries all over his body, having been hit with a leather belt and “dunked” in the bath at his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

His mother, Carla Scott, was found guilty of manslaughter and child cruelty, while Howell was convicted of murder.

The six-week trial was told that Alfie was denied food as an act of cruelty and routinely subjected to other “sinister” punishments, including being locked outside his Vashon Drive home in cold weather and made to stand in a statue-like pose.

Mr Justice Wall, as he passed sentence at Coventry Crown Court in June 2023, said that Howell had claimed Alfie had suffered an epileptic fit and fallen asleep in the bath.

At the Court of Appeal in London on Wednesday, Lord Justice Green, sitting with Mr Justice Jay and Mr Justice Johnson, said Howell wanted to appeal against his conviction on the basis that the cause of Alfie’s death “could not be ascertained” and that epilepsy “could not be ruled out”.

The judges also said Howell had claimed there were “corrupt payments” between the police and carers, while his barristers had “improperly and unfairly” represented him.

They added that these claims were rejected by a previous Court of Appeal judge who said the issues had been “squarely canvassed by the jury”.

Lord Justice Green said: “We unreservedly agree with the conclusions of the single judge that the grounds for appeal are unarguable.

“The application for permission to appeal is refused.”