Shropshire mother Lesley Speed guilty of murdering her son, Archie Spriggs, 7

Archie was strangled by Speed before he was left lying dead in his bed.

Speed murdered him hours before her partner Darren Jones arrived home from work and discovered the schoolboy.

As the verdict was announced by the jury at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday Speed collapsed in tears, shouting: “No, no you’ve got it wrong. My kids are my life, they’re my world. Nothing would make me take their life. My kids are my world.

“You’re wrong. Nothing would ever make me take him out of this world. It’s wrong. You’re wrong.”

Speed suffered self-inflicted wounds to her neck, arm and wrist after carrying out the murder at the home in Rushbury Road, near Wall under Heywood in south Shropshire on September 21 last year.

The murder happened on the same day that Speed and Archie’s father Matthew Spriggs were due to attend family court in an acrimonious custody battle after he applied for a residency order. Speed, 44, did not show up at the hearing in Telford.

Coverage of the case:

• 'You should never have to bury your own child': Archie Spriggs' dad tells of his devastation

• Normal little boy caught up in bitter dispute

• Mother tells court she fantastised about faking deaths and 'disappearing'

• Sobbing mother denies killing her seven-year-old son

• Seven-year-old could have tied ligature, court told

• ‘Blocked airway’ to blame for boy’s death

• Mother 'tried to revive son after finding him hanged'

• Both parents claimed schoolboy was emotionally abused by the other

• Teachers 'didn't think Shropshire schoolboy was at risk'

• Partner tells of horror scene at family house

• Shropshire mum murdered son Archie, 7, with a scarf, court is told

Giving evidence during the trial, Speed told the jury of 10 women and two men that she didn’t kill Archie and that she had found him hanged.

She claimed her son, who attended Rushbury CofE Primary School, had talked of suicide in the past.

But Archie was described by both his GP and school as a very normal boy who did not appear to have problems.

The jury did not believe Speed’s version of events and yesterday found her guilty in a unanimous verdict.

Shouts

The prosecution said Speed had killed Archie rather than see him leave with Mr Spriggs and had failed to prepare herself for the preliminary court hearing.

Amid dramatic scenes in court, there was shouts of “yes” in the public gallery where members of Archie’s family were sitting.

As Speed sobbed and shouted following the verdict, the judge Mr Justice Nichol asked that she be taken from the court. He thanked the jury for their deligence.

Speed was expected to be sentenced today and was due to reappear at court in Birmingham.