Kettering murder trial: Baby had more than 31 injuries

The trial at Birmingham Crown Court is expected to last for three weeks

A man murdered his partner's one-year-old daughter inflicting "among the most severe injuries" her doctors had ever seen, a court has heard.

Evelyn-Rose Muggleton died days after being found unconscious at a house in Kettering, Northants on 26 April.

Ryan Coleman, 23, of no fixed address, denies murdering her and claimed she was injured falling from her bed.

He had been the main carer for the child while her mother was working, jurors heard.

Mr Coleman phoned the child's mother at work to say Evelyn-Rose had fallen at their home and was not breathing, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

'Unusually withdrawn'

The mother told police he had taken care of her as if "his own" but he had been "unusually withdrawn" that morning, prosecutor Jonas Hankin said.

The child was transferred from Kettering General Hospital to intensive care at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, where she died on 29 April 2018.

She was found to have multiple bruising and bleeding injuries on her brain and spine, and 31 external injuries, including damage to both eyes.

The jury was told a pathologist reported there was "no underlying disease to account for her injuries" and they could not be explained by Mr Coleman's claim she had fallen 36cm (14in) onto a carpeted floor.

Mr Hankin QC said the defendant's claim of a minor fall did not "in any way explain the injuries sustained, which are consistent with high speed trauma or impact."

"It's the prosecution's case that he deliberately and violently assaulted Evelyn to cause her severe harm," he said.

The trial is expected to last for three weeks.