Yeovil baby death: Couple appear in court to face charges

The pair appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Friday

A couple will face trial later this year accused of the murder of a two-week-old baby.

Daniel Gunter, 25, and Sophie Staddon, 20, are accused of killing baby Brendon Staddon at Yeovil District Hospital on 5 March this year.

They are also been charged with causing or allowing Brendon's death.

Mr Gunter pleaded not guilty to both charges in a hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, while Ms Staddon did not enter a plea to either charge.

Brendon was born prematurely on 20 February, and died while in hospital.

The second charge alleges that "being a member of the same household as and having had frequent contact" with Brendon, they either caused his death or did not protect him from a foreseeable "significant risk of serious physical harm".

Judge William Hart fixed a two-week trial before a High Court judge to begin on 18 November, with an earlier hearing scheduled for July.

The defendants, of no fixed address, were remanded into custody.