Reading Crown Court: Baby murder trial jurors reminded of tot's horrific final days
JURORS in a baby murder trial have heard that the four-week-old's injuries were so severe they resembled the result of a 90mph crash.
Reading Crown Court today, Monday, heard the prosecution sum up the case against James Lawton and Chantelle Stroud as the trial draws to a close.
Four-week-old Colby Lawton suffered 50 broken bones, a skull fracture and partial strangulation before he died.
Blood had poured from his mouth and nose so profusely that his mother had to turn him over to clear it, said Eloise Marshall QC, prosecuting.
Ms Stroud then allegedly lied to authorities to cover for her violent partner, having cooked up a fake story with him, added Ms Marshall.
Mr Lawton, aged 28, of Boreham Field in Warminster, Wiltshire, denies murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Ms Stroud of Newtown Road, Newbury, denies causing or allowing the death of a child.
The court has heard that, in the early hours of May 9 last year, emergency services received a call from Ms Stroud to say that her baby son was not breathing.
Paramedics arrived where she was then living, at Fountain Gardens, Ashridge Court, Newbury, within minutes and discovered that Colby's heart had stopped.
Significantly, said Ms Marshall, "by the time Colby arrived at hospital, the doctors believed he had been dead for about 90 minutes".
Today, Ms Marshall reminded jurors of the horrors that befell Colby in his short life.
She said a skull fracture that happened days before his death was the result of the baby's head being smashed against a hard surface; that there were 77 bruises on his body, signs of strangulation, multiple shattered ribs and broken legs.
But the final, fatal shaking was so severe it resulted in brain damage so bad it resembled injuries typical of a 90mph car crash, the court heard.
Mr Lawton tried to blame Ms Stroud but that was simply not credible, said Ms Marshall.
Despite his extreme violence towards her, jurors were reminded, Ms Stroud had covered for him, lying to social services and assuring authorities he was "the bestest dad ever".
In fact, said Ms Marshall, he "never loved Colby" and feared he was not the biological father.
Ms Stroud was "clearly suspicious" of injuries Colby sustained while in Mr Lawton's care, the court heard.
Yet still she bought him enough alcohol for him to get drunk before allegedly murdering his son, jurors heard.
And on the night he died, said Ms Marshall, "Chantelle Stroud told the ambulance crew: 'We found him like that' – and that's not true. She came up with a story at a time she knew Colby was already dead. Whatever caused James Lawton to shake that baby to death that night, Chantelle Stroud knows more than she's willing to say.
"She's lying... she clearly knows there was a delay seeking help and told friends she blames James Lawton for the delay. She told police she wasn't shocked by the injuries – she should have been dumbstruck."
Ms Marshall reminded jurors that a doctor had found Mr Lawton and Ms Stroud's behaviour in the hospital "unnerving" and said: "In the hotel later, you may think, they were getting their story straight – clearly they were colluding and discussing what they'd say to police.
"The sad truth is... she knew what he had done to Colby and was willing to protect him as she always has. Colby's death happened in circumstances she foresaw... she knew that James Lawton was a ticking time bomb.
"Whatever tipped him over the edge that night led him to do exactly what she'd predicted he would do – kill a child he never loved and never believed was his."
The separate defence teams for Mr Lawton and for Ms Stroud are expected to sum up their respective cases tomorrow.
The judge will then sum up all the evidence and send the jury to consider verdicts.