Leiland-James Corkill: Social worker 'shocked' at force used on baby

Laura Castle is on trial at Preston Crown Court for murder and Scott Castle for causing or allowing a child's death

A social worker was "shocked" when a woman accused of murdering a baby boy she hoped to adopt admitted she had used physical force on him.

Laura Castle, 38, made the confession as one-year-old Leiland-James Corkill was on a life-support machine in hospital, Preston Crown Court heard.

He died on 7 January 2021, a day after suffering brain injuries at Laura and Scott Castle's home in Barrow, Cumbria.

Mrs Castle admits manslaughter but denies murder.

Scott Castle has pleaded not guilty to causing or allowing the death of Leiland-James and also to child cruelty.

'Inconsistent' injuries

The court heard Mrs Castle reported Leiland-James had fallen from a sofa but medics at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital raised concerns the injuries did not match her account.

Jurors were told the couple had undergone a rigorous process by Cumbria County Council in being allowed to look after Leiland-James, who was taken into care at birth.

This included "therapeutic parenting sessions" in which prospective adopters were taught never to use corporal punishment.

Penny Hindle, a social worker of 35 years, said she phoned Mrs Castle before the baby's life-support was switched off.

"I said to Laura that I had been advised that Leiland's injuries were not consistent with her account," she said.

"She was very upset. She said she had previously tapped or slapped Leiland.

"I was really shocked that given the emphasis on not hurting, assaulting, smacking or disciplining children in a physical way, that she was saying that was what she had been doing.

"Leiland was only a baby. He had just had his first birthday, I was really shocked that she had used force."

The defendant had told Mrs Hindle that she felt the youngster did not like the couple, and a 'looked after child' review followed, which resulted in Mrs Hindle saying she could not support a permanent adoption application.

'Struggling to bond'

The social worker said the Castles accepted the decision and more therapeutic work took place at their home on 16 December.

"It was not totally negative," she said, but the couple had "a lack of joy" in being with the boy, the jury was told.

"Some of their responses were negative and they were struggling to bond with him but they weren't asking to remove him because they couldn't go on."

Mrs Castle explained her family loved the boy so he was "not going anywhere", the witness told the court.

Mrs Hindle went on: "My reaction was that in itself is not a good enough reason to adopt a child.

"I was not convinced the adoption would hold."

A further meeting was scheduled to take place but before it happened she learned of Leiland-James's injury, jurors were told.

The mobile phones of the defendants were examined by police following their arrest as text messages revealed Mrs Castle telling her husband of "leathering" Leiland on occasions.

Giving evidence, Mrs Castle's mother, Julie Houghton, said she had no concerns about whether her daughter was coping with having Leiland-James in the family.

She said: "We welcomed him into our family. He was part of our family."

The trial, which is due to last about four weeks, continues.