Triple killer Jordan Monaghan is facing life behind bars after being convicted of murdering his newborn baby girl and toddler son by smothering, and six years later killing his new partner with a drug overdose.
The 30-year-old, a manipulative and controlling gambling addict, obstructed the airways of his helpless children in separate murders in January and August, 2013.
After further information came to light, police reviewed the deaths of Ruby, aged 24 days, and Logan, aged 21 months, and in 2018, Monaghan was arrested.
He was on police bail for the child murders when he murdered his new girlfriend with a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs in October 2019.
Monaghan killed because he could not face rejection by his partners, Preston Crown Court heard during his 10-week trial.
The defendant, who has been suffering a minor illness, was not in court as the guilty verdicts were delivered by the foreman of the jury following 26 hours of deliberation across six days.
Laura Gray, the 28-year-old mother of the children, could be heard weeping in the public gallery as the verdicts were given.
Monaghan was convicted of the three murders and two counts of attempted murder to a third child who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
The trial judge, Mr Justice Goose, ordered the defendant to be brought from prison to the court for sentencing at 3pm.
A construction worker, Monaghan, of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, smothered Ruby on New Year’s Day, 2013, as she slept in her Moses basket. Monaghan was alone with the child as her mother slept upstairs at the family home.
Eight months later, after Miss Gray discovered that her boyfriend owed thousands of pounds in gambling debts, she told him the relationship was over.
Pictured: Jordan Monaghan and his former partner Laura Grey leaving Blackburn Coroners in 2014 after the inquest into their son Logan’s death. Monghan later killed girlfriend Evie Adams
Jordan Monaghan was today found guilty of smothering three-week-old daughter, Ruby (pictured left), on New Year’s Day 2013, and 21-month-old son, Logan (pictured right), eight months later
Monaghan, of Blackburn, was also found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Evie Adams (pictured) in 2019 by giving her an overdose of tramadol and diazepam, which he bought on the black market
The next day he took their son, Logan, aged 21 months, to a local swimming pool, Waves in Blackburn.
While alone in a cubicle in the changing rooms he smothered the child, the jury heard.
Ruby’s and Logan’s deaths were both investigated as sudden and unexplained events, but the girl’s death was attributed to bronchiolitis and Logan’s cause of death remained ‘unascertained’.
Both had been seen by medics in the days and months before their deaths, but other than usual childhood illnesses no serious medical condition was found.
Following Logan’s death on August 17, Monaghan were quizzed for eight hours by police before being released.
Jordan said after: ‘Even though we were told they weren’t treating the death as suspicious, we did feel like criminals.’
But a review was carried out by Lancashire Police after further information came to light and Monaghan was arrested and bailed on suspicion of murder in January 2018.
It turned out Monaghan had smothered tiny Ruby while she slept in her Moses basket. He had told his then partner Miss Gray that he would stay up and feed their daughter at 2am.
He later woke her saying Ruby was not breathing.
Ruby was rushed to hospital where she later died. An inquest – held in August 2013 – ruled that she died of natural causes after contracting acute bronchopneumonia.
Jordan Monaghan posted this picture of him proposing to girlfriend Evie Adams, who he has today been found guilty of murdering
Following Logan’s death on August 17, Monaghan (pictured here with ex-partner Laura Gray in 2013) were quizzed for eight hours by police before being released
Logan was also found unresponsive in his pram after Monaghan had taken him swimming.
Miss Gray discovered her son when she went to feed him. The coroner recorded an open verdict.
Monaghan, of Blackburn, was also found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Evie Adams by giving her an overdose of tramadol and diazepam, which he bought on the black market.
Monaghan had denied in police interview that he had joined WhatsApp group ‘UK Tablets’ but admitted when giving evidence that he had lied.
He told the court he had bought pregabs – an abbreviation for anti-anxiety pill pregabalin – pain-killer tramadol and anti-depressant diazepam – but insisted he took them.
He denied giving them to his girlfriend.
Miss Adams died from a fatal overdose on October 24, 2019 – a week after complaining of sickness and stomach pains.
Monaghan, who appeared at Preston Crown Court (pictured) was found guilty of a further two counts of attempted murder of a third child, who cannot be named for legal reasons
A toxicologist report showed the amount of tramadol in the 23-year-old’s blood was five times the normal prescribed dosage.
Professor Alexander Forrest – an expert in forensic chemistry and toxicology – told the hearing that amount ‘would make the toxicologist’s eyes rise up.’
He also said the toxicology report suggested Miss Adams had been taking diazepam on a regular basis leading up to her death.
Monaghan was found guilty of a further two counts of attempted murder of a third child, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Following the conviction of Jordan Monaghan, Martin Hill, deputy head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West’s Complex Case Unit, said: ‘Jordan Monaghan’s cruelty is beyond belief and the ruthlessness of these murders is harrowing.
‘It is difficult to comprehend the depravity that went into planning and committing these murders.
‘Three innocent people needlessly lost their lives due to Monaghan’s utter selfishness.
‘Together, the CPS and Lancashire police were able to build a strong case against him by ensuring all possible medical explanations for the deaths of the children could be discounted.
‘I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering that Monaghan’s actions have caused to the families of the victims. They have conducted themselves with the upmost dignity and been incredibly brave and patient throughout.
‘Nothing can make up for the loss of their loved ones, but we can only hope, following today’s conviction, they feel justice has been done. Our thoughts remain with the families.’