A BABY girl died from devastating injuries consistent with her having been swung against a wall by her limbs.
A jury at Preston Crown Court heard the injuries to 11-month-old
Courtney Ann Shailes were like those sustained by being thrown from a car at high-speed.
Her babysitter, Lynn Jeffrey (38), of Bird Street, Brierfield, claimed
the tot had fallen downstairs at her home in Railway Street, Nelson, but later tried to shift the blame onto her boyfriend Andrew Elliott.
She has denied murdering Courtney on the evening of Agust 23rd.
Mr Andrew O'Byrne QC (prosecuting) said Jeffrey was an "acquaintance" of Courtney's mother, Samantha, and had been told how to feed the tot and put her to bed.
But an ambulance was called at 11 p.m. after an operator was told the child was not breathing, blood was coming from her nose and Mr Elliott was giving her mouth to mouth resuscitation.
Mr Elliott was involved in looking after the child, but was not
present when Jeffrey allegedly inflicted the terrible injuries, the court was told. He had gone to a shop to buy chocolate for diabetic Jeffrey.
"The incident that was to cost the baby her life does not adequately
reflect what happened that night, the brutal, callous and inexplicable
murder of a defenceless child by this defendant," said Mr O'Byrne.
Courtney was taken to
Burnley General Hospital with visible bruises on her ankle and head and as a member of staff cradled her head he
felt it collapse. "That was the first indication of the extent and consequences of the extreme violence this child had endured," said Mr O'Byrne.
A Home Office pathologist said there multiple skull fractures and brain
tissue was protruding. There was also a fracture to the spine and thigh. The injuries were consistent with being swung by her limbs so she hit a hard surface, or with a blunt object.
Jeffrey claimed the baby had been put to bed and must have crawled to
the stairs and fallen. But he said the defendant's account was now different and she said Mr Elliott injured the baby.
taken from
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