Murder trial jury urged to look at bigger picture

Luke Morgan, 26, and Emma Cole, 22, are alleged to have deliberately smothered baby Tyler or compressed his chest at their home in Sunnymead Road, Burntwood, in the early hours of April 29, 2014.

There was a significant delay before an ambulance was called and when paramedics arrived, Morgan repeatedly asked or suggested it was cot death, Stafford Crown Court has heard. The couple had been drinking and arguing loudly that night, it was said.

But Mr Mark Heywood QC, defending Morgan, 26, asked the jury to look at the bigger picture, which he said showed a man who gave spontaneous displays of love and affection to his son, a child who appeared to be developing well under his parents' care.

"The perspective needs you to look at the wider breadth of evidence rather than the headlines," said Mr Heywood.

"All appointments were kept and he was taken to the hospital when the need seemed to arise. He was meeting his milestones, developing well."

Morgan was questioned by emergency staff about the build-up to finding baby Tyler collapsed but his answers were not clear. Alyta Walker, a student paramedic, said she had “difficulties” getting precise information from him, the jury had been told.

But Mr Heywood said: "If you are looking for signs of suspicion, you will look in vain. He was pacing up and down. He appeared to be upset and panicked. He was behaving, in the circumstances, as she would have expected him to.

"He was repeating himself, a classic sign of someone who doesn't know what to do with himself."

He went on: "It seems nobody noticed till at the hospital that there was even a smell of drink from him but there were no adverse effects of alcohol showing.

"This young man, in years gone by, has put away put away a lot more drink than was good for him. He has cut back but still is a seasoned drinker. To talk about empty beer cans is just plucking at headlines.

"What evidence do we have, in the weeks leading up, that Luke Morgan would suddenly and deliberately inflict any harm on his son?"

Morgan initially claimed it took him almost an hour to wake up Cole after finding Tyler apparently lifeless but later said it was maybe 10 or 15 minutes. She then dialled 999.

Tyler was found to have facial haemorrhages, nasal abrasions and three fractured ribs. He also had a bite mark on his right arm. A post-mortem concluded that the cause of death was “unascertained.”

Cole and Morgan, both of Byron Close, Burntwood, deny murder, manslaughter, causing or allowing an infant’s death, and child cruelty.

The jury was expected to be sent out today(THUR) to consider its verdict.