Lola James: Toddler's injuries unlikely from fall, court hears

Lola James died at the Noah's Ark children's hospital on 21 July, 2020

A catastrophic head injury suffered by a toddler was unlikely to be the result of a fall down the stairs, a court has heard.

Lola James died in hospital in July 2020 having also suffered a "catastrophic" head injury and 101 external injuries.

Swansea Crown Court heard the head trauma likely came from a "shaking mechanism or a forceful impact".

Lola's mother Sinead James, 30, and her partner Kyle Bevan, 31, stand trial.

Mr Bevan denies murdering the toddler, which he is alleged to have carried out four months after moving in with Lola's mother.

Ms James denies causing or allowing Lola's death at the family home in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.

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Consultant neuro-radiologist Dr Neil Stoodley was asked by the police to look at CT and MRI scans of the toddler's head injuries after she died in July 2020.

On Monday he told the court there was "no natural reason that could account for the abnormalities on the scans" and that Lola's injuries "could not be reasonably explained on the basis of a fall down the stairs".

He said it could be birth related, accidental, or non-accidental and abusive.

The court heard that scans showed bleeding on many parts of the brain as well as brain damage as a result of reduced oxygen or blood flow.

Lola's mother Sinead James is charged with causing or allowing her death

Asked whether the injuries could have been caused by a fall down the stairs, he said: "No, I couldn't explain the abnormalities on the scans on the basis of a fall down the stairs".

He said the injuries were likely to have been caused by an episode of abusive head trauma, namely by shaking.

"The pattern of bleeding and the hypoxic injury is typical of a pattern seen in cases of abusive trauma. Typical of abnormalities we see as a result of a shaking injury," he added.

Dr Stoodley's report summary said that the intercranial injuries which led to Lola's death were likely due to "abusive head trauma, likely to have occurred as a result of a shaking mechanism or a forceful impact to the left side of the head, or a combination of both of these mechanisms".

Defending Mr Bevan, John Hipkin KC asked Dr Stoodley about his use of the word "likely".

Dr Stoodley responded: "I can't find another reasonable explanation other than abusive head trauma".

He said he did not know the minimum amount of force required to cause such injuries, but that in his experience they were not caused without "inappropriate force".

He told the court he hadn't seen the witness statement which claimed the injuries were the result of a fall down the stairs, and said he hadn't been asked to look at a plan of the layout of the stairs.

'She could still be here'

Lola James was described in court as a "cheeky monkey"

Lola's grandmother Nicola James described her as a "cheeky monkey" who "loved life".

She told the court she should have been staying with her that night as she often did, but did not because she was unwell.

If she had, Ms James told the court, "Lola would still be with us."

She said Lola looked "awful" and was "purple' when she rode to Withybush Hospital with her in an ambulance, and described Mr Bevan as an "aggressive" person who was "disrespectful" to staff treating Lola and threatened to "rip up" their notes.

Mr Bevan's mood was always "up and down", she told the court, describing him as an "argumentative" person who "was always right when he was wrong."

The court heard Lola was wet and wearing pyjamas without a nappy, something that her grandmother said "confused" her, as she usually slept with a nappy.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees KC previously told the court that it is believed Lola had been scrubbed clean by Kyle Bevan to "cover his tracks"..

The trial continues.