Nursery worker admits she seemed impatient on CCTV

Kate Roughley was a deputy manager at Tiny Toes nursery when the baby died

A nursery worker accused of causing the death of a baby girl admitted she appeared "impatient" on CCTV footage played at her trial.

Kate Roughley is accused of the manslaughter by ill treatment of nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan, who she cared for at the Tiny Toes Nursery in Stockport.

The baby died after being strapped face down to a bean bag for 90 minutes.

Roughley, 37, on trial at Manchester Crown Court, denies manslaughter and an alternative child cruelty charge.

'Impatient'

The baby was found unresponsive and blue on the afternoon of 9 May 2022 at the nursery in Cheadle Hulme.

Staff and paramedics attempted to revive her but she was pronounced dead later that day in hospital.

The court was shown CCTV footage of the baby room at the nursery and how the staff interacted with the children.

The prosecution has claimed Ms Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, felt "hostility" towards baby Genevieve.

The jury was told that she sang: “Genevieve, Genevieve, stop your whingeing, Genevieve” on one occasion.

And on another, Genevieve rolled over on her side and Ms Roughley picked her up, saying, “Sit up properly, stress head".

Giving evidence under examination by her own barrister, Sarah Elliott KC, Ms Roughley admitted she appeared "impatient" in the CCTV footage.

She told the court that she sang songs or made up rhymes about some babies, and Genevieve in particular, to “entertain them”.

The nurse said and there was "no malice in it" and a comment about Genevieve being a stress head was "just a throwaway comment”.

'Improvise'

Asked about staffing levels at the nursery, Ms Roughley told the court that "two or three times a week" Tiny Toes was "over ratio".

She said that "did affect quality", and meant "you couldn’t give some care".

There was also a requirement on staff to take numerous photos and videos of each child every day to send to parents, she said.

Ms Roughley was questioned about sleeping arrangements and the use of the "bean bag bed" in which Genevieve was placed for her nap.

She said it was regularly used for babies when the six cots were full.

Asked about its safety, she said staff "had to improvise", and that the straps stopping babies from falling off the bean bags were not tight.

Questioned about swaddling, she said it was used it on the children to comfort them, "like a cuddle".

The trial continues.