Man cleared after baby death

Man cleared after baby death

A man accused of inflicting a series of injuries on his baby daughter who later died has been cleared by a court.

Michael Scott, from St Helens, Merseyside, had been accused of leaving 11-week-old Gemma with 11 broken ribs, and a fractured ankle and shoulder.

On Tuesday, a jury at Liverpool Crown Court found him not guilty of five charges of child cruelty, after he was cleared of a sixth charge on direction of the judge.

However Scott pleaded guilty to two further charges of cruelty, admitting he failed to seek medical attention for Gemma's injuries.

Paramedics called

The court heard Gemma died on 16 November, 2001.

Her mother, Michelle Walker, also faced child cruelty allegations, but the court earlier ordered the charges to lie on file.

Scott, 23, had denied the six charges - dated between August 31 and November 16, 2001 - and the jury took just less than an hour to unanimously find him not guilty.

On the charges he pleaded guilty to, the court heard Scott, of Nicholson Street, had failed to seek medical attention despite being aware of Gemma's injuries.

On the day the baby died, paramedics went to the home of Scott and Ms. Walker, following a 999 call after Gemma stopped breathing.

Jail possible

They tried to revive her, but she was later pronounced dead after being taken to Whiston Hospital.

The cause of Gemma's death was not confirmed and the coroner was unable to rule out natural causes.

In the examining doctor's opinion all the fractures were non-accidental, prosecutor Simon Christie told the court.

Scott was bailed until 13 May for pre-sentence reports.

Judge Elizabeth Steel warned him he faced all sentencing options, including custody.