Father 'murdered baby and then hanged himself in revenge attack after wife left him'

Paul McBride, 39, suffocated six-month-old son Ollie

Blazing rows with mother Michaela Swain days before

Father and son found dead at grandmother's home



A taxi driver killed his baby son – apparently in revenge for his ex-partner withholding access – and then committed suicide.

Paul McBride, 39, is believed to have smothered six-month-old Ollie before hanging himself.

McBride’s body was found at his mother’s house in Preston by his sister Michelle shortly after 6pm on Wednesday evening.

Tragic: Six-month-old Ollie McBride was taken to hospital in Lancashire, Preston, where he was later pronounced dead

Ollie was discovered unconscious and unresponsive and despite efforts to revive him by paramedics he was later pronounced dead.

Mother: Michaela Swain said, 'No words I could ever write could express how much I love my beautiful baby boy Ollie.'

McBride’s sister had joined a police search after his former partner, Michaela Swain, 35, contacted officers to report that he had failed to return Ollie at the agreed time.

Last night it emerged the couple had recently split after a series of furious rows and had been living apart for some weeks.

It is understood police had been called to their home on more than one occasion after reports Miss Swain had been the victim of domestic violence.

Detectives investigating the tragedy will examine the theory that McBride killed his son and then took his own life to spite Miss Swain.

A senior police source said: ‘It appears the couple had been involved in a very acrimonious break-up and the mother did not allow him to see his son a lot.



'They were constantly rowing about it but had come to some loose agreement that Paul could take Ollie out for a few hours.

‘He was very unhappy at this arrangement and it appears that if he wasn’t allowed to have his son then no one could have him.’

Last night Miss Swain, who was being comforted by friends and family at her home in Ribbleton, Preston, paid tribute to her son.

In a statement issued by police, she wrote: ‘No words I could ever write could express how much I love my beautiful baby boy Ollie. Goodnight sweetheart, sweet dreams. Mummy loves you. Moo moo. X’



Crime scene: Officers stand outside the house in Preston after the discovery of bodies

Investigation: Detectives are probing the deaths after the grim discovery

Detective Superintendent Neil Esseen, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘Whether it is a revenge attack is too early to say, that would be speculation. We will be looking at all sorts of theories.

‘The mother is obviously very distraught and she is being comforted by trained specialist officers. It is vitally important that we are able to tell the mother what has happened to her baby.’

Neighbours Alma and John Attle, who have known McBride since he was a child, said they were in total shock over what had taken place.Mrs Attle said: ‘Paul is the last person you would have thought would do this. He was a very jokey sort of lad – always full of jokes.

‘We saw Michelle and another relative go into the house and then a few minutes later there were police and ambulances everywhere.

‘Paramedics rushed the baby out of the house and into the ambulance, and at that stage we didn’t know if he was dead or alive.

‘We asked Michelle what had happened and she said that Paul had hanged himself. She said that the police had been looking for him earlier but she didn’t say why.