Mum accused of baby's murder will not give evidence

Devaun lived with his parents in a flat on Blunham Road, Biggleswade

A former children's nursery assistant accused of murdering her eight-month-old son has decided not to give evidence at a trial, jurors have been told.

Devaun Rose-Turner, who lived with his parents in a flat in Blunham Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, died nearly four years ago.

Shandies Rose, 29, and Devaun's father, Emmanuel Turner, 33, both deny murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, and causing or allowing serious injury to a child.

Judge Mrs Justice Farbey, who is overseeing the trial at Luton Crown Court, told jurors they could "draw inference as is proper" from Miss Rose's decision.

Melanie Simpson KC, who represents Miss Rose, told the jury on Wednesday that her client would not be giving evidence.

Mark Heywood KC, prosecuting, has told the trial how an emergency call was made early on 11 December 2021 from the family's flat. Devaun's father told paramedics that his son had stopped breathing.

Mr Heywood said Devaun had suffered "extensive, catastrophic injures" and could not be saved.

He told jurors that doctors found a "catalogue of injuries", including:

• Fractures to the skull and multiple rib fractures "suspected to be the result of physical abuse and to have resulted in death"

• A fracture to the upper jaw

• A fracture to the nasal bone

• A "severe stomach rupture"

Mr Heywood said many injuries had been inflicted in the "12 or so" hours before paramedics arrived. He said there were also signs that other injuries had been inflicted earlier.

Jurors were told that neighbours had heard noises in the night.

Mr Heywood said one heard a "loud thud" and another heard a loud argument and Miss Rose screaming.

He said another neighbour heard banging and a baby crying.

Mr Turner has given evidence and answered questions over several days.

He said he had fallen down the stairs during the early hours of 11 December while carrying Devaun.

Mr Turner suggested that the baby's injuries had been caused by that fall, and by his attempts at CPR.

"As far as I am concerned, I didn't intentionally cause injuries to Devaun," he told the trial.

"There is no evidence that I have caused harm to Devaun."

He said he did not, at the time, think Devaun had been hurt during the fall and had not mentioned the fall to paramedics. But he said the fall had to be "responsible".

Jurors have also heard how police had previously been called to the flat in the early hours of 12 November 2021.

Mr Heywood said a neighbour reported hearing a "thud" and a scream.

But Mr Turner told jurors that he and Miss Rose had been having sex in the bath and their neighbours had mistaken cries of "ecstasy and pleasure" for cries of pain.

He said he told a police officer who knocked on the door that he and Miss Rose had been having "mummy, daddy time".

The trial is due to resume on Monday.