Mia Gregson death: Hull man 'shouted threats before killing toddler'

Mia Gregson was taken to hospital from her home in Dorset Street

A man shouted violent threats at his girlfriend's toddler "for weeks" before he smothered the child, a murder trial at Sheffield Crown Court has been told.

Police were called to the Hull home of Jonathan Garner and Samantha Gregson less than three weeks before 23-month-old Mia Gregson died, the jury heard.

He denies murder, while Ms Gregson, 26, now of Chesterfield, denies causing or allowing her daughter's death.

Neighbours often heard him threaten the crying child, the jury was told.

When police went to the house, in the Gypsyville area of Hull, Mia was sleeping and Mr Garner claimed he had been shouting at the dog for eating the child's tea, the jury heard.

Within about three weeks, on 13 February 2014, Mia was taken to hospital from her home in Dorset Street, but died later.

'Really unnerving'

Prosecutor Robert Smith QC said Mr Garner was often, "if not almost constantly", heard by neighbours shouting at the toddler, "motivated by Mia's crying".

Neighbours who moved in in the weeks before Mia died said they were "almost immediately" disturbed by the shouting at the toddler, the court heard.

A transcript of an anonymous call from a neighbour to police was played to the jury. In it, the neighbour said: "There's a chap next door. He's banging and yelling and there's a kid screaming. It's been going on for hours."

She added: "It's getting really unnerving. Can you just send someone just to make sure the kid's alright?"

The prosecutor said the court would hear medical evidence that Mia's cause of death was smothering, although that was not the conclusion of the original pathologist because the child had several unexplained injuries.

Mr Garner, 26, of Thirlmere Avenue in Hull, also denies causing or allowing Mia's death.

The trial continues.