Wednesday 11 May 2022 04:59 PM Foster mother, 38, denies murdering 12-month-old boy and 'smashing his head ... trends now
A foster mother has denied murdering a 12-month-old boy and 'smashing his head against the sofa' but admits killing him because she was 'tired and drained' by his crying, a court had heard.
Baby Leiland-James Corkill had been living with his prospective adoptive parents - Laura Castle and her husband, Scott, 35 - when emergency services were called to their home in Barrow-in-Furness on January 6 last year.
Castle, 38, initially claimed Leiland-James accidentally fell off the sofa at her home despite the youngster having suffered catastrophic head injuries.
The defendant continued to maintain Leiland-James's death was a tragic accident until last week when she admitted his manslaughter on the eve of her trial at Preston Crown Court.
Castle also lied in her prepared defence case statement before she eventually changed her plea and conceded she had shaken Leiland-James after he would not stop crying and screaming, the court heard.
She said she lied because she was 'ashamed' and 'terrified of the consequences of her actions'.
The youngster was a 'looked-after child' who was taken into care at birth before he was approved by authorities to live with Castle and her husband, Scott, 35, from August 2020.
The defendant denies murder and now says Leiland-James hit his head on the back of a sofa arm-rest after she shook him and then he fell off her knee on to the floor.
Medical experts told the trial though that the degree of force required to cause his injuries would have been 'severe' and 'considerable'.
Baby Leiland-James (pictured) had been living with his prospective adoptive parents - Laura Castle and her husband, Scott, 35 - when emergency services were called to their home in Barrow-in-Furness on January 6 last year
Cross-examining Michael Brady QC put it to Laura Castle that it was not just a case of shaking.
He said: 'I suggest you smashed the back of Leiland-James's head with significant force against the arm-rest of the sofa or possibly a table?'
Castle replied: 'No.'
Mr Brady went on: 'What was so frustrating about this baby that caused you to act in this way?'
The defendant said: 'I was so tired and drained and overwhelmed. There was so much noise.'
Mr Brady said: 'Why not simply walk away?'
Castle said: 'I honestly think about that every second of the day and regret what I have done, and I have to pay the consequence for that. I accept that.
'What I'm trying to do is give my boy justice.'
Mr Brady said: 'In what way are you going to give Leiland-James justice?'
She replied: 'That this is my fault.'
Mr Brady asked: 'Are you continuing to lie now?'
The defendant said: 'No. I accept that my child has died because of me.'
Mr Brady said: 'Lying to the 12 members of this jury is not going to cause you any difficulty at all, is it?'
She replied: 'I have been honest. I am just telling what happened and yes it may be too late but I'm trying to pay for what I have done.'
Mr Brady said: 'Have you been so overcome by guilt you have fallen on your sword or is it an acceptance of the utterly compelling medical evidence showing this is a non-accidental injury?'
Castle said: 'We did guilty
