Leiland-James Corkill: Prospective dad 'not to blame for death'

Leiland-James Corkill died on 7 January 2021 at the Barrow home of Laura and Scott Castle

A man accused of allowing his wife to kill the baby they were trying to adopt has told jurors he bears no responsibility for his death.

Leiland-James Corkill died at 13 months on 7 January 2021, a day after gaining brain injuries at the home of Laura and Scott Castle in Barrow, Cumbria.

Mrs Castle admits manslaughter but denies murder.

Mr Castle told Preston Crown Court it was a joke when he told his wife to give the child a "good, hard smack".

The 35-year-old, who denies causing or allowing Leiland-James' death, said the couple used physical chastisement but it was never more than a single tap on the child's hand or bottom.

He previously told the court Leiland-James struggled to settle after moving into their home in August 2020 and they did not feel they were bonding with him.

The court has heard Leiland-James suffered catastrophic brain injuries on the morning of 6 January when Mrs Castle shook him to "stop him crying".

Laura and Scott Castle are on trial at Preston Crown Court

In cross-examination, prosecutor Michael Brady QC asked Mr Castle if the death was "entirely foreseeable" given the couple's use of violence, to which defendant replied: "I didn't foresee any of this."

The prosecutor read out text messages the couples exchanged in the months before the death.

In one sent the night before Leiland-James was fatally injured, Mrs Castle used insults to describe the boy to which Mr Castle replied saying a "good, hard smack" might change him.

His wife replied saying "it just doesn't though, does it?," the court heard, which Mr Brady said was a sign she had used strong violence before and it was "ingrained in your family life".

Mr Castle said his text had been a joke and he had put "LOL" at the end to show that.

'Good mother'

Mr Brady asked what the purpose of smacking a one-year-old child would be, to which Mr Castle replied: "You're smacking him on the bum to get him to settle. You just say 'that's enough now'."

Mr Brady asked in what way a smack could be soothing and if Mr Castle thought he may be sending "mixed messages", to which the defendant replied: "No."

Mr Castle admitted the smacking did not calm or change Leiland-James's behaviour but he thought it "would start working".

He said he would never hurt the child or use any force in the smack.

Mr Brady asked if Mr Castle encouraged the use of violence by his wife by telling her she was an "amazing" mum and not abusive, which Mr Castle denied and replied she "was a good mother".

Asked if he accepted responsibility for Leiland-James' demise, the adoptive father-to-be replied: "I don't bear any responsibility."

'Lost her temper'

In closing arguments, Mr Brady told jurors the boy's death was wholly avoidable.

He said the defendants were "intelligent, articulate people" who decided "regular beatings" and "hostile and aggressive language directed towards and about Leiland-James was appropriate".

It was their choice to cause unnecessary suffering and Mr Castle had failed to protect Leiland-James, the court heard.

He said Mrs Castle's claims to be drained and overwhelmed by crying on the morning of 6 January did not stand up to scrutiny.

Their immediate neighbours did not hear any cries but did hear a thud, which prosecutors argue was the moment Mrs Castle inflicted the fatal injuries.

Mr Brady said Mrs Castle "lost her temper" at Leiland-James and "smashed his head with considerable or severe force" on a coffee table or the arm of a sofa.

'Alarm bells'

Even if jurors accepted she "lost her mind", Mr Brady said, that was not a defence to murder and that by shaking him she would have been intending to cause serious harm.

Messages sent from Mrs Castle to her husband venting her frustrations with Leiland-James, calling him names and describing "leathering" him, "couldn't have made it plainer [to Mr Castle] that the risk of serious injury was significant", the court was told.

The prosecutor said Mr Castle's response showed no concern for the boy and "alarm bells should have been ringing".

The couple also both deny two child cruelty charges.

The trial continues.