Boy may have tried to stop fatal attack, court told

Elizabeth John and Ethan John died in June last year

An 11-year-old boy suffered injuries that suggest he tried to defend himself from an attack that left him and his seven-year-old sister dead, according to a pathologist.

Jurors at Nottingham Crown Court were told that Ethan and Elizabeth John were both pronounced dead in their home in Stoke-on-Trent after being found with severe wounds that caused "significant blood loss" on 11 June last year.

Veronique John, their mother, is accused of the murder of both children, with a trial of facts being held to determine whether she inflicted the fatal injuries.

Mrs John has been ruled unfit to enter a plea.

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Mrs John has also been charged with the attempted murder of her husband Nathan John, and jurors will be asked to say whether they are sure she inflicted a stab wound to his stomach.

Dr Brett Lockyer, a forensic pathologist, told the court on Friday that Ethan suffered wounds to his hand, including to his palm and between his thumb and index finger, which suggest he tried to defend himself.

He told jurors that the injuries to the boy's hand could mean that Ethan tried to grab the blade in self-defence during the attack.

Jurors also heard the 11-year-old suffered 21 separate knife wounds - including to the head, chest, neck and hands.

Dr Lockyer said a wound to the neck was the cause of death, and that Ethan would have died soon after this was inflicted.

Ethan’s sister Elizabeth also suffered a fatal wound to her neck and had extensive bruising on the left side of her face and forehead, the court was told.

She had a stab wound that went through her stomach and a brain injury that was caused by at least one forceful blow, the pathologist said.

Dr Lockyer said Elizabeth had also suffered a fractured skull.

Defence barrister Rachel Brand KC called no evidence on behalf of Mrs John, 50, who is alleged to have attacked her husband at a car wash and told him she had just killed the two children.

In his closing speech to the jury, prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith said: "By the time she walked to the car wash she had done something that's almost too horrific to contemplate."

Blood from both her children found on her clothing proved what she had done, Mr Grieves-Smith alleged, adding: "Her words prove that she did it.

"We say you can be sure that she is responsible for killing her children and attacking Nathan."

Judge Mr Justice Choudhury told the jury its foreman would be invited to answer "yes" or "no" as to whether the jurors were sure Mrs John unlawfully inflicted injuries that led to death.

The panel will also be required to determine whether she inflicted injuries on her husband.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts on Monday.