Klevi and Nivalda Santos Pirjani, the Wirral parents convicted of murdering their 13-week-old son, have had their minimum prison terms increased by the Court of Appeal after the Attorney General's Office referred their sentences as unduly lenient.
The couple, of Percy Road, Seacombe, were jailed for life at Liverpool Crown Court in March for the murder of Miguel Pirjani, who died in November 2024 after being "systematically abused". The infant was found with numerous broken bones and a bleed on the brain following repeated assaults during his short life.
At the original sentencing, Klevi, 38, received a minimum term of 19 years, while Nivalda, 35, was given 15 years and three months. Both were found guilty of murder for the "abuse of power and gross abuse of bond of trust".
Court of Appeal increases both minimum terms
Appearing before Lord Justice Jeremy Baker, sitting with Mr Justice Goose and Mr Justice Hilliard, the parents saw their sentences increased on Tuesday. Klevi, appearing via video link from HMP Wakefield, had his term raised to 21 years and six months, while Nivalda, appearing from HMP Styal, was re-sentenced to 17 years and nine months.
Lord Justice Baker said the pair subjected their son to "routine" assaults which increased in severity and culminated in the "particularly callous" murder. He said the sentencing judge, Mr Justice Andrew Baker, had "significantly underestimated the aggravating factors" when considering the initial terms.
Attorney General welcomes decision
Attorney General Ellie Reeves KC MP said: "Miguel Pirjani was a defenceless baby who had an entire life to live, yet he suffered appallingly cruel violence at the hands of the two people who should have protected him."
She added: "This was a truly harrowing case, and my thoughts are with everyone who loved and cared for him. I welcome the Court of Appeal's decision to increase both minimum terms following my referral and remain committed to ensuring those who carry out the most serious crimes face the full force of the law."
William Emlyn Jones KC, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, told the court Miguel's death was caused by an assault involving a "heavy blow, or series of blows" to the head. A postmortem found a longstanding history of abuse including 41 separate bone fractures, with fractured ribs, legs and sternum across multiple incidents.
He said that while it could not be ascertained which parent inflicted the fatal violence, "whichever it was, they did so with the encouragement of their partner".
Mr Emlyn Jones said: "This is a case in which it is common ground that the starting point was 15 years. However, it is submitted that the nature of the murder and the victim of the murder makes this so serious that a significant upward adjustment was required from the starting point to reflect the significant aggravating features."
Defence argues sentences were not unduly lenient
Rupert Bowers KC, for Nivalda, and Sarah Vine KC, for Klevi, both told the court the sentences were lenient, but not unduly. Mr Bowers added: "There is nothing that would indicate that the sentences he passed are beyond the ambit of reasonableness, or an error of principle, so that this court should interfere with his exercise of discretion, having heard all the evidence."
Merseyside Police received a report that three-month-old Miguel was unresponsive at the family home following a 999 call from Klevi. He was rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where he died five days later on November 29, 2024.
Sentencing the couple in March, Mr Justice Baker said the pair were "in this together, encouraging each other" to attack their "defenceless" son, and that whoever "fatally battered" the infant "remains the guilty secret of a warped relationship, in which you came first for each other to an unnatural degree".
Merseyside Police Detective Inspector Holly Chance, the senior investigating officer, said: "Baby Miguel's life was cruelly cut short at the hands of his parents who were meant to nurture and protect him from harm."
