Mother accused of murdering three-year-old daughter 'was on phone all the time'

Debbie Windmill said her daughter Nicola Priest was on her phone "paying no attention" to Kaylee-Jayde Priest during a visit last year, jurors were told.

The three-year-old was found dead at the flat where she lived with her mother on August 9 last year. Priest, 22, and co-accused Callum Redfern deny all charges.

Ms Windmill said she last saw her granddaughter during a visit in June 2020 which lasted three days and the youngster was a "little live wire" and was happy, a court heard.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Kaylee, during the visit, had pulled her pants down and would "hit out a lot" at another child, which led the grandmother to intervene.

Ms Windmill, who was questioned by prosecutor Andrew Smith QC, said Priest was there during the incident and said she did "nothing" and was on her phone.

Throughout the three days her daughter would use her phone "all the time" and Priest, of Poplar Avenue in Edgbaston, was on a range of social media platforms, a court heard.

The witness said she was unaware of her daughter being in a relationship but she was "always talking to boys" and later found out that was the case from a relative, due to being blocked from seeing certain posts on Facebook, a judge heard.

On August 9 last year, Ms Windmill had been at work when she received a string of texts and missed calls from Priest at around 11.10am, with her daughter calling her back at 11.25am which led to a paramedic speaking to the grandmother.

On the same day, at 9.18pm, the witness had messaged Callum Redfern, 21, asking what had happened to which he responded: "I'm just as devastated. Loved her as my own. I've only found out couple hours ago – I'm getting told different stories", Mr Smith QC said.

Ms Windmill had told police about one incident where Priest had met a boy online and taken Kaylee along to see him, with her daughter and granddaughter returning 10 minutes after midnight, jurors were told.

Gurdeep Garcha QC, who represents Redfern, of Temple Street in Dudley, asked the witness whether she made it clear it was inappropriate to which the grandmother responded: "Yes".

Priest left the next day after a brief exchange and didn't return until 18 months later when she got back in touch to say she was struggling financially, with Ms Windmill saying it was "as if I didn't exist" over the period, a judge heard.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Priest had "shouted" at Kaylee a lot but never swore, nor did she hit or slap or daughter, and she had played Peppa Pig on a tablet for her daughter before returning to her phone and not interacting with her during Ms Windmill's visit to Priest's flat in May last year.

Ms Windmill said her daughter "didn't take her eyes off her phone" but the grandmother "didn't dare" say anything in case she was cut off again, a judge heard.

Mr George Carter-Stephenson QC, who represents Priest, suggested the witness had been "quite controlling in the way you have dealt with her daughter" to which she responded: "I would say caring, I disagree."

The witness, whilst being cross-examined by Mr Carter-Stephenson QC, agreed her daughter was someone with a lot of love to give, but someone who was very easy to influence, far too trusting and naive, a court heard.

Mr Carter-Stephenson QC suggested during the visit in June last year Priest "didn't get a look in" and Ms Windmill had told her daughter "what she should do" all the time, jurors heard.

Ms Windmill responded she would "advise" her daughter and said she was given "every opportunity" to get involved during the visit – and added it had been "normal" to see Priest with her phone in her hand over the three-day period, a judge heard.

The witness added that on August 9 her daughter had been very distressed and had been screaming down the phone that Kaylee was dead and continued screaming until the paramedic took the phone away, a court heard.

Priest, 22, of Poplar Avenue in Edgbaston, Birmingham, is accused alongside 21-year-old Callum Redfern, of Temple Street Dudley – who prosecutors allege was in a "close sexual relationship" with his co-accused – of Kaylee's murder and a separate alternative charge of manslaughter, which they deny.

The pair are also accused of causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child, between June 12 and August 3, 2020, which they also deny.