Murder trial toddler's bruised ear 'caused by blow'

Charlie Roberts was 22 months old when he died

Bruising to a toddler's ear caused before he died was "inflicted by a blow", a court has heard.

Charlie Roberts suffered a fatal head injury aged 22 months at his home in Darlington on 12 January, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Christopher Stockton, 38, who had been in a relationship with Charlie's mother Paula Roberts, 41, denies his murder and she denies child neglect.

Paediatrician Dr Deborah Stalker, told the court that ear injuries were "rarely accidental" and she believed the child's had been "purposefully-inflicted".

Dr Stalker, also a specialist in child protection, studied photographs and post-mortem images of Charlie and said she did not believe his injury had happened while he was sleep-walking.

"In my opinion, this is a non-accidental injury, by that I mean it is a purposefully inflicted injury," she said.

"Accidental injuries to the ear are very rare."

'Direct blow'

She explained that the shoulder or head usually take the impact of a fall, rather than an ear.

"To injure the ear with the type of injuries that you see on Charlie's ear requires a direct blow," she added.

Before his death the boy was being looked after by Mr Stockton while his mother went for an eye test.

The court also heard Ms Roberts had told her brother that her son had suffered bruised ears when he lay down in his toy box while sleep-walking.

However, Dr Stalker told the court: "Simple falls do not cause ear injuries.

"There has to be a direct force to bruise an ear. That doesn't happen from a domestic tumble, whether awake or asleep."

She also said the bruising would have been "very uncomfortable" and it would cause the ear to throb.

The trial continues.