Christina Robinson murdered her three-year son Dwelaniyah after conducting a “campaign of cruelty” lashing him with a cane and forcing him into scalding water, whilst empowered by cult religious beliefs.
The bible-bashing mum, 30, had denied killing the tot, forcing a lengthy trial at Newcastle Crown Court where she was represented by a taxpayer-funded team of expensive lawyers.
But during the third week of evidence Robinson sacked her counsel, telling Mr Justice Garnham she wanted to represent herself.
Robinson, a member of the controversial Black Hebrew Israelite religion, told the jury she was following a scripture which advised the use of the rod for the “correction” of children.
When Dwelaniyah collapsed on November 5, 2022, she delayed 20 minutes dialling 999, first calling husband Gabriel Adu-Appau, who was working 240 miles away at an RAF base, before searching the internet for ‘how to resuscitate a child’.
When paramedics and police arrived she claimed the lifeless toddler had stopped breathing while eating a sandwich.
Paramedics who attended the home in Ushaw Moor, County Durham, were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at hospital.
Now figures released under Freedom of Information laws have now shown the murderer received a total of £121,817.89 in legal aid with the final bill still be totalled.
Victims of crime have hit out at the costs, saying they haven’t received a penny, while killers are awarded thousands.
Sharon Henderson’s daughter Nikki Allan, seven, was stabbed to death by David Boyd in Sunderland in 1992 but Boyd evaded justice until he was found guilty in 2023.
The devastated mum, 57, said: “It’s disgusting that Christina Robinson received that amount of money in legal aid. I have never received any support or help in my 30-year fight for justice.
“What about the victims who receive nothing? Whenever I had help it was from groups of people in similar circumstances.
“The legal system is all wrong. It’s always the criminals that get the most help.
“I’m still in exactly the same position that I was when I started 31 years ago.”
Liz Neailey’s son, Wesley, 11, was murdered by paedophile Dominic McKilligan in 1998.
The furious 59-year-old mum said: “It’s diabolical, the system is completely wrong. These evil murderers receive hundreds of thousands of pounds but the victims are the ones who suffer. We get the life sentences.
“Wesley’s father and I received £5,000 each for his murder, which is nothing compared to our loss. This murderous woman got twenty times that.
“She didn’t plead guilty, she dragged the trial out which upped the cost at the expense of taxpayers. If you commit the crime and are found guilty, you should be forced to pay it back.
“As soon as she fired her barristers, she should been made to pick up the bill. It is totally wrong.
“Murderers shouldn’t ask other people to pay for their crimes.”
The Freedom of Information response revealed the legal costs could still exceed £122K.
It read: “The LAA is not yet in receipt of all the claims associated with recent proceedings involving Christina Robinson, which are received and paid in arrears upon conclusion of the case.
“Where proceedings are ongoing, are subject to sentencing or have only recently concluded, or if there is an appeal, further claims may continue to be made until the billing process has been completed by all of the lawyers involved.”
A Legal Aid Agency spokesperson said: “Christina Robinson did not receive a penny of this money – some of it went directly to lawyers so she could have a fair trial and ultimately be imprisoned for her crimes.
“The rest paid for lawyers in the family court so the local authority could ensure the safety of her other children.”
Robinson will be sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court next month.
