Nigel Power KC, leading Lianne Birkett, was successful in the prosecution for murder of Kandyce Downer, who was special guardian to but killed 18-month-old Keegan Downer.
Keegan was 10 months old when she left the care of her foster carer in January 2015. Her life in the care of her special guardian, the defendant Kandyce Downer, was uneventful until the middle of June 2015, when a very large number of injuries to her head and body started to be inflicted. Keegan eventually died of septicaemia which was caused by the repeated injuries that the defendant caused.
The trial involved the calling of no less than 12 medical experts in various disciplines. The defendant's belated attempt to blame her eldest son for the injuries was rejected by the jury.
This was a high profile case reported variously: