Monday 14 January 2013

Infanticide (alleged): UK: Lee Davison trial

Seven-week-old baby who died of horrific head and rib injuries 'was subjected to two violent episodes while in care of her parents'

Kristal Davison suffered skull fractures, broken ribs and a broken leg
Lee Davison, 28, and Jessica Hopkinson, 19, both deny harming her
Blamed each other when interviewed by police, Leeds Crown Court hears

PUBLISHED: 18:56 GMT, 14 January 2013 | UPDATED: 19:06 GMT, 14 January 2013

A mother and father murdered their seven-week-old baby girl who died after suffering a catalogue of terrible injuries, a court has heard.

Kristal Davison had skull fractures, broken ribs and a broken leg which were caused over a number of weeks before her death, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Lee Davison, 28, and Jessica Hopkinson, 19, both deny harming the baby at their home in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, who died from a head injury after at least two 'episodes of violence or trauma'.

Jessica Hopkinson mother of baby Krystal Davison

Accused: Mother of the baby Jessica Hopkinson, left, and father Lee Davison, right, both deny harming Kristal who was subjected to at least 'two episodes of violence or trauma' before she died

Davison, 28, called an ambulance on the morning of April 12 last year reporting that Kristal was gasping for breath.

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When paramedics arrived, the baby was found to be pale, limp and lifeless and was taken to hospital, where she died the following day.

Julian Goose QC, prosecuting, said: 'Kristal was subjected to at least two, possibly more, episodes of violence or trauma in her short life.'

Tragic: Seven-week old Kristal was found 'limp, pale and lifeless' by paramedics after Lee Davison dialled 999 in April last year

He added: 'Both defendants admit that Kristal was in their care at all material times. How she came to suffer so many injuries with such a catastrophic effect is only known by the two defendants.'

A post-mortem examination found bruising and grazes to her head and face, internal bruising to her scalp, two distinct trauma injuries to her skull, bleeding to the brain and eyes, healing rib fractures and healing fractures to the left thigh and shin bone.

Mr Goose said: 'Kristal was subjected to at least two and quite possibly more episodes of violence or trauma at different times to different parts of her body, including her head, ribcage and left leg.

'The injuries relating to the brain, the eyes and bleeding to the surface of the brain were indicative of violent shaking.

'The fractures to the skull establish that there was a significant blunt force applied to the head.

'The fractures to the ribs and to the left leg established that she had been subjected to violence to those parts of her body.'

Both defendants were arrested and interviewed by police.

Mr Goose said Davison and Hopkinson, from Ashleigh Avenue, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, both refused to tell the truth to police.

He told the court that Hopkinson and Davison had started a relationship in early 2011 with Hopkinson falling pregnant in May that year, after which they were seen by social workers.

Mr Goose said: 'The relationship between the defendants was at times volatile. Neighbours were able to hear frequent arguments involving shouting, banging and swearing.

'The last of such arguments was heard during the night of April 11. A male voice was heard to shout and swear and a female voice was heard to be crying and shouting back.'

'The relationship between the defendants was at times volatile. Neighbours were able to hear frequent arguments involving shouting, banging and swearing.'

Mr Goose also told the jury that Kristal was seen at home in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, by a midwife and health visitor. She was weighed and examined and it was noticed that she was losing weight in the weeks up to her death.

The court heard a health visitor attended the family home eight days before her death and again two days before her death - but apart from losing weight, explained by Hopkinson and Davison as the baby vomiting, there were no injuries noticed by the health visitor.

Kristal was also seen by a GP on April 3 - but 'nothing unusual' was noticed by the doctor during a physical check, the jury was told.

At just before 7am on April 12, Davison called 999 and paramedics were sent to the house. They found Kristal on her back in the bathroom where Davison was attempting to resuscitate her with directions over the phone.

He told paramedics that he had been up all night watching her. Kristal was rushed to hospital but despite the efforts of medical staff, died at 2.50am the next day.

Mr Goose said: 'The opinion of the pathologist is that Kristal was subjected to at least two and quite possibly more episodes of trauma at different times to different parts of her body, including her head, rib cage and left leg.

'At the very least, say the prosecution, the defendants should have been aware, if they were not inflicting these injuries, that Kristal needed help.

'If either of the defendants was not involved in causing such catastrophic injuries to Kristal, then it was a simple task to remove her fro the violence being inflicted by the perpetrator.

'At the very least, say the prosecution, the defendants should have been aware, if they were not inflicting these injuries, that Kristal needed help.'

'How difficult could it have been to take Kristal away from the house to a place of safety if there was any risk of serious injury being caused to her?'

The court heard that, during interviews, Davison told the police he did not know how his daughter had been injured.

But later, he went on to say how Hopkinson had 'slammed the baby' into the changing mat and sofa.

Hopkinson also at first denied knowing how Kristal’s injuries had occurred, but then told police Davison would shake the baby to wake her up.

She also later requested another interview with police, telling them: 'It was Lee who did it', describing hearing 'bangs' while he and Kristal were in another room.

Mr Goose added: 'How could these defendants not have known how those injuries were caused?

'How difficult would it have been, you may ask yourselves, to have sought help for Kristal?

'There were plenty of opportunities - telling the health visitor when she visited, telling the GP at the doctors, talking to their parents who lived nearby and were in regular contact, simply picking Krystal up and walking out of that house, to be away from the perpetrator of the cruel violence.

'Whether they caused Kristal’s death themselves, separately or together, or they failed to take all reasonable steps to protect her from the serious and obvious risk of injury to her at the hands of the other, the prosecution say that they are both guilty of causing or allowing the death of Kristal Davison.'

Both deny causing or allowing the death of a child. The trial continues.

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