A woman is accused of murdering a 12-month-old baby she was hoping to adopt after months of aggressive messages in which she labelled him ‘a s*** bag’ and admitted to ‘absolutely leathering him’.
Leiland-James Corkill, who was taken into care at birth, died from catastrophic head injuries five months after being approved to live with Laura Castle, 38, and her husband Scott Castle, 35, by authorities in Cumbria.
Laura Castle told emergency services the unresponsive little boy had injured himself after falling from a sofa at her home in Barrow-in-Furness on January 6, 2021, Preston Crown Court heard.
But medics began to question this when he was handed over to Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s in cardiac arrest with a bleed on his brain.
Pathologist Dr Alison Armour, who conducted the post-mortem examination after his death on January 7, said she believed the degree of force needed was ‘considerable’.
Laura Castle has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but does not accept she intended to cause him really serious harm or kill him and denies murder and child cruelty. Scott Castle denies causing or allowing the death of Leiland-James and also child cruelty.
Text messages sent between the couple in the months before the tragedy showed they had discussed ‘Laura Castle’s use of unlawful physical chastisement’, Michael Brady QC, prosecuting, said.
He added: ‘The Crown says that Scott Castle was not only aware of how his wife behaved towards Leiland-James but actively encouraged it.’
In one message, Laura Castle referred to Leiland-James as ‘a proper n*b head’, ‘a d**k’ and ‘a s*** bag’, while her husband said the baby was ‘a fat s***’, ‘a n*b head’ and ‘a t*** bag’.
Within days of taking in the child in August 2020, Laura Castle was struggling, with relatives having to help out with his care, the court was told.
On September 23, 2020 she texted aerospace nightshift worker Mr Castle saying: ‘I honestly really don’t like him lately, hes an absolute moaning winge bag and I totally regret doin this.
‘I’m goin to lose my mind. He just pisses me off all the time, can never just have a nice day or night ever.
‘Although I need to stop smacking him cos if I start I’ll not stop at one point and it’s not getting us anywhere and then I feel bad.’
The next day she messaged: ‘I’ve just absolutey leathered him, I can(‘t) take this anymore, he’s gonna have to go.’
Scott Castle replied: ‘Right OK baby. He’s really ruined it. At least we have tried.’
On September 25 she wrote: ‘I’ve just leathered him again, I don’t wanna do this. I’m seriously at my wits end, no one tells you about all this shit. I’m just an abusive parent so it seems.’
Her husband responded: ‘Your not an abusive parent, baby. Not at all. Don’t say that. I think he’s a little too fucked up for us to handle.
‘Let’s just call it quits. I don’t want you to have a mental break down. Your more important to me than him.’
The Castles had earlier been selected by an adoption panel following an application process overseen by Cumbria Children’s Services Department, jurors were told.
In November 2020 a social worker reported from a statutory visit of her concerns that Laura Castle had said she did not love Leiland-James and that he ‘didn’t like standing’, was ‘lazy’ and ‘big’.
The following month a review took place of the placement and the Castles were told the local authority would not support an application for a permanent adoption unless further therapeutic work was undertaken.
However the pair remained determined to go ahead with the process, the court was told, and a care planning meeting with social workers was recommended for the new year.
Mr Brady said: ‘It is the Crown’s case that set against a background of frustration, borne out of highly stressful domestic circumstances – including financial difficulties and an inability to bond with Leiland-James – Laura Castle’s frustration with Leiland-James turned to hostility as evidenced by her physical abuse of him culminating in his murder.’
Pathologist Dr Armour had said she thought most of the injuries were consistent with assault and that bruising to the head and face were consistent with slapping, gripping, pinching, prodding and poking’, the prosecutor added.
The trial continues.
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