A man who murdered two of his own children and his girlfriend has had his prison sentence extended. 

Jordan Monaghan, 30, from Blackburn, also attempted to murder a third child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and had his sentence increased at the Court of Appeal today (Friday July 29).

Monaghan was found guilty of the offences following a 10-week trial in December.

He was initially jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years, however, earlier this year, a decision was made to review the sentence by the Attorney General after it had been described as too lenient.

Following today’s ruling, Monaghan’s minimum term was increased to 48 years.

Lancashire Telegraph: MonaghanMonaghan

During his trial the court heard how Monaghan smothered three-week-old Ruby in January 2013, and his 21-month-old son Logan seven months later in August 2013.

The prosecution said he murdered the children to try and get closer to his then partner, the children’s mother, after the relationship became strained.

He sought to cover his murderous actions by presenting both deaths as tragic natural causes.

Both these deaths were investigated by the police under their national joint child deaths protocols, including a forensic post-mortem examination, but the findings at that time were given as natural causes (bronchial pneumonia) for Ruby and unascertained for Logan.

After the initial investigations, the deaths of both Ruby and Logan were treated as non-suspicious due to a lack of positive medical evidence to the contrary.

Monaghan then tried to kill a third child in 2016. She survived but cannot be identified for legal reasons.

After the attempted murder of the third child, police reviewed the deaths of the first two children and further expert evidence strongly supported the fact they had died as a result of Monaghan deliberately restricting their breathing.

Lancashire’s Force Major Investigation Team then launched a murder investigation.

Monaghan was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and was released on bail, pending a detailed and comprehensive investigation which included further forensic expert evidence, and prosecution advice.

In 2019, as police and prosecutors were building a case against him, Monaghan struck again and murdered his then girlfriend Evie Adams by giving her a cocktail of illegally bought prescription drugs, including tramadol and diazepam. She was 23-years-old.

In spite of bail conditions ordering Monaghan not to associate with Ms Adams and an injunction against him contacting her, and despite police warning her of the danger he posed, the pair surreptitiously kept seeing one another.

There was already a non-molestation order in place in relation to Jordan Monaghan and Evie Adams which was granted in April 2018 and Monaghan was arrested and sentenced to two months imprisonment in July 2019 for a breach of this order.

Ms Adams was also offered refuge accommodation on two occasions, but these placements broke down because she continued to see Monaghan – a sign of his controlling behaviour.

Monaghan was also subject to monitoring whilst he was on bail and a number of disclosures were made to other women who he had attempted to strike up relationships with.

The 30-year-old again tried to cover up his crime by making it appear Evie Adams had taken her own life by faking a suicide note.

A full Major Investigation Team investigation began into Ms Adams' death, which led to the discovery of crucial evidence that eventually ended in his conviction.

Following two extensive and hugely complex investigations spanning a total of three years, and after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Monaghan was in January 2021 charged with murder, attempted murder and child cruelty.

All of the offending took place in Blackburn.

Det Chief Inspector Pauline Stables, of Lancashire’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “Our thoughts continue to remain with the families and loved ones of Ruby, Logan and Evie Adams.

“Jordan Monaghan intended to kill his victims covertly and then made significant efforts to cover up what he had done.

"It was only after extremely complex and lengthy investigations that we were able to prove that the deaths of both the children and of Evie Adams were premeditated murder.

“It’s positive that the sentence has been reviewed and increased at the Court of Appeal and is reflective of his truly appalling and wicked crimes.

“Once again my thoughts remain with the loved ones of all of Monaghan’s victims.”