Reading Crown Court: Newbury baby murder trial told of 'head to toe' injuries and strangulation
Jurors in a baby murder trial have heard how little Colby Lawton had been partially strangled – and injured literally from head to toe.
The more serious injuries would have been visible to anyone supposedly caring for him, an expert witness testified for the prosecution.
Reading Crown Court had previously been told how the four-week-old suffered 50 crushed and snapped bones, including a skull fracture.
Today (Wednesday) a Home Office pathologist revealed that the child had also suffered more than 70 internal and external bruises from his head to his left toe.
In the dock are his parents, James Lawton and Chantelle Stroud.
Mr Lawton, aged 28, latterly of Boreham Field in Warminster, Wiltshire, denies murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Ms Stroud, aged 25, formerly of Ashridge Court, Newbury, and who now lives in Newtown Road, Newbury, denies causing or allowing the death of a child.
Colby was rushed to hospital in cardiac arrest after his mother called emergency services to her home in Ashridge Court in the early hours of May 9 last year.
The pathologist, Dr Brett Lockyer, said the larger injuries inflicted in the days before Colby’s death would have been visible to anyone caring for him.
He outlined 77 injuries to the baby’s jaw, shoulder, torso, back, thighs, calves and foot.
Dr Lockyer, who said he dealt with numerous suspicious and accidental baby deaths, said: “It’s very rare to see this many injuries, especially in a four-week-old baby... they are suspicious of inflicted trauma – not accidental, in other words.”
He also referred to evidence of crushing and of strangulation on occasions before the fatal head injury was inflicted.
Previously Eloise Marshall QC, prosecuting, had told the court: “The crown say it was James Lawton who was responsible for the death of Colby and when he spoke to police at the hospital he was lying to them.
“It’s the crown’s case that Chantelle Stroud allowed Colby’s death through neglect. We say she knew James Lawton posed a danger to Colby.”
Jurors have also heard of a catalogue of beatings allegedly meted out by Mr Lawton to Ms Stroud.
Mr Lawton repeatedly attacked Ms Stroud by slapping her, smashing a wine bottle into her face, headbutting her, punching her repeatedly in the head and hurling her downstairs, they were told.
On some occasions, the court heard, Ms Stroud would lie to social services to cover for him.
But on other occasions she would kick him out of the home.
This showed, suggested Ms Marshall, that Ms Stroud “was more than capable of kicking him out the door when his behaviour wasn’t acceptable to her”.
It is the prosecution’s case that, while she sometimes made Mr Lawton leave when he attacked her, she did not act the same way to protect her baby from him.
Jurors had previously heard from officers who arrived at the scene in response Ms Stroud's 999 call.
There, they found her and and Mr Lawton, and a baby in cardiac arrest.
Pc Lizzie McDowell told the court in a statement how everything changed when she noticed a fresh bloodstain on bed clothing.
She alerted a colleague and, between them, they concluded they may be dealing with a crime and should therefore secure the area.
The officer said: “I expressed my concerns [to a colleague] and discussed that the property needed to be treated as a [crime] scene.”
Mr Lawton, apparently noticing their suspicion, said: “I have anxiety – can you stop staring at me?”
Colby, in cardiac arrest, was rushed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and Ms Stroud asked for Mr Lawton to accompany her there.
The pair sat in silence during the journey, the court heard.
Meanwhile, after hospital staff battled in vain to revive the baby, they noticed blood on his face which had apparently “streamed out” of his nose, according to his mother.
Jurors have also heard of a catalogue of beatings allegedly meted out by Mr Lawton to Ms Stroud.
Mr Lawton repeatedly attacked Ms Stroud by slapping her, smashing a wine bottle into her face, headbutting her, punching her repeatedly in the head and hurling her downstairs, they were told.
On some occasions, the court heard, Ms Stroud would lie to social services to cover for him.
The trial continues.
