Murder trial petition for Mikaeel Kular’s mother

Rosedeep Adekoya had her culpable homicide plea accepted. Picture: Contributed

More than 5000 people signed the “Justice for Mikaeel” petition, protesting at the failure of prosecutors to pursue a murder charge against Rosdeep Adekoya for killing her son.

Adekoya, 34, admitted causing the death of three-year-old Mikaeel by punching him dozens of times at his home in Ferry Gait Crescent, Drylaw.

Although she was originally charged with murder, her guilty plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide was accepted by the Crown last month.

Prosecutors accepted that although she unleashed a “severe” assault on Mikaeel – beating him with her fists 40 times over two days – her actions fell short of the “wicked recklessness” demanded for a murder charge under Scots law.

But members of the community – many of whom took part in the extensive search for Mikaeel after he was reported missing in January – are horrified that Adekoya could end up with a shorter sentence.

Drylaw woman Julie Macleod launched an online petition to give a voice to that anger – and in just a week it attracted more than 5000 signatures.

She said she wanted to make sure that justice was served.

Yesterday, she was joined by other campaigners in presenting the petition to Graeme Pearson MSP, Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman, at Holyrood.

A case review has also been launched to investigate whether Fife Council acted correctly to protect Mikaeel, who was put into care twice, and whether they properly informed Edinburgh City Council social work staff when the family moved to the Capital.

Nikki Garrick, who lives across the road from Mikaeel’s former home, said she hoped ministers would sit up and take notice of the petition.

“I think everybody in the country believes that she should be getting done for murder,” she said.

The average term for culpable homicide is eight years, but there is no maximum, so in theory Adekoya could still be sentenced to life imprisonment.