Anna jury continues deliberations

Anna Climbie: Jury will continue deliberating

The jury in the Old Bailey trial of a man and woman accused of murdering eight-year-old Anna Climbie has been sent home for a fourth night.

Anna's great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao, 44, and her boyfriend Carl Manning, 28, both of Tottenham, north London, deny murder.

The court has previously heard that Anna had been beaten, burned with cigarettes and forced to sleep in a bin liner. She is alleged to have died as a result of hypothermia and neglect.

Bus driver Mr Manning has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and child cruelty. Ms Kouao denies manslaughter and child cruelty in addition to murder.

Hypothermia and malnutrition

The prosecution said Anna died in February last year after being tied up and given scraps of food to eat "like a dog" in the bath.

She was suffering from hypothermia and malnutrition and a post mortem revealed 128 separate scars on her body, including burns thought to have been caused by cigarettes, the court had heard.

Her death, 12 months after arriving in the UK from Paris, came despite the involvement of police, social workers and health professionals.