Leiland-James Corkill: Inquest to probe placement with killer mum

Leiland-James Corkill was placed with Laura and Scott Castle five months before his death

An inquest into the death of a baby murdered by his prospective adoptive mother will look at how his placement came about, a coroner has said.

Thirteen-month-old Leiland-James Corkill was killed by Laura Castle in Barrow, Cumbria, in January 2021.

Castle, 39, was convicted of murder and is serving at least 18 years in prison.

At a pre-inquest review, Cumbria assistant coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw said he would look at how Leiland-James's care was handled by local authorities.

Despite Castle's conviction, Dr Shaw said there was "sufficient reason" to hold an inquest to "inquire into events leading up to [the baby's] death" that were not covered by the court case.

He said those events included Leiland-James "being taken into council care" and his "placement for fostering with the person who came to inflict the injuries upon him".

Laura Castle had admitted manslaughter but was found guilty of murdering Leiland-James

Castle's trial in May 2022 had heard Leiland-James was taken into the care of Cumbria County Council two days after his birth on 21 December 2019 and placed with Castle and her husband, Scott, with a view to adoption in August 2020.

Mr Castle was found not guilty of causing or allowing the boy's death.

It was known there were bonding issues and a review was scheduled to be held later in January 2021, but Leiland-James was fatally attacked by Castle on 6 January before the review could take place.

Dr Shaw said Cumberland Council would be an "interested party" in the inquest, as would a doctors' surgery in Barrow.

Leiland-James birth mother Laura Corkill would also be represented. Her representative told Dr Shaw she "wanted clarity as to what happened".

Dr Shaw said he would also involve the author of a safeguarding children board review which found there were systemic failings in the adoption process.

He said the scope of the inquest would include inquiries under article two of the Human Rights Act - the right that everyone's life should be protected by law - which would bring into scrutiny the involvement of "agents of the state", namely the council and its social services department.

The Crown Prosecution Service released videos shot by Laura Castle showing Leiland-James crying

Dr Shaw said Leiland-James was "unarguably under the care of the state at the time he died" and he would investigate "whether any acts or omissions by state agents more than minimally contributed to the death".

He said he would not consider whether Leiland-James' being taken into care was correct, but why he was taken into care should form part of the proceedings.

He said Castle had been invited to take part but had not responded which was "perhaps not entirely unsurprising".

Dr Shaw said the day-long hearing would provisionally be listed for the beginning of November. Sitting in Cockermouth, the assistant coroner said a jury would not be required.