Prosecution sums up in case

Mike Baldwin denies murdering his teenage stepdaughter

The prosecution has summed up in the Cardiff Crown Court trial of a man accused of murdering his teenage stepdaughter.

Mike Baldwin, 36, admits Jenna Baldwin, 15, died after he knocked her down the stairs of the family home during a row.

He claims it was an accident and he then, in panic, buried her body at a local beauty spot.

But the prosecution claims the security guard, from Abersychan, near Pontypool, was a "skilled liar".

David Aubrey QC told the jury: "Why has he chosen to tell you a series of lies? Because he cannot afford to tell the truth, because he murdered her."

Mr Baldwin, a former Territorial Army soldier, maintains that on the day Jenna died, he swung out at her after she punched him in the back of the neck.

That shows how far he is prepared to go to face people down, how he will persist in his lies Prosecutor David Aubrey QC

But during the trial, which began on 10 June, the prosecution offered evidence to back its claim that the stairs and landing were too narrow for Jenna to have been knocked backwards in the way the defendant claims.

Mr Aubrey said Mr Baldwin "took true facts and weaved in his lies to bring them to life".

He said the idea of a 5ft 11ins, 15-stone judo expert feeling threatened by a 5ft 6ins 15-year-old girl was absurd.

The court had earlier heard prosecution suggestions Mr Baldwin made no attempt to revive Jenna, despite being a qualified first-aider.

Mr Aubrey said Mr Baldwin did not summon help and said he did not double-check to see if she was dead before covering her grave.

Mike Baldwin said he accidentally knocked Jenna down the stairs

Mr Aubrey said: "This is not the action of a man who is panicking or responding because he accidentally killed his daughter or killed her when he lashed out because she provoked him."

The prosecution case also alleges Mr Baldwin bought a mobile phone, which he registered giving false details, and then made a series of false text messages and hoax phone calls to give the impression Jenna had left home.

One of the people he is accused of phoning, pretending to be the missing teenager, is his 10-year-old son.

"That shows how far he is prepared to go to face people down, how he will persist in his lies," said Mr Aubrey.

The prosecutor alleges that, when being interviewed by police, Mr Baldwin had no answer to questions about sexual involvement with his stepdaughter.

'Murder - nothing less'

Mr Aubrey said witnesses described at least two occasions when Mr Baldwin was allegedly violent towards Jenna, even though the defendant claimed during interrogation he never touched her.

The trial had previously heard evidence from Mr Baldwin's cell-mate while he was on remand, Mark Dando, who alleged Mr Baldwin had confessed to having an affair with Jenna. Mr Baldwin denies having spoken to him.

Mr Aubrey said: "Mark Dando knew Baldwin had camouflaged the grave before it was confirmed by forensics. He could only have known that because Baldwin told him."

The prosecution also disputes the day Mr Baldwin claims Jenna's death occurred, September 10, arguing it was, in fact, five days earlier.

Mr Aubrey said: "You can be sure of these things - that Jenna died on the fifth and not the 10, that she did not die as he said and he has lied about that.

"It was murder - nothing less and nothing else."

Mr Baldwin's defence counsel, Peter Murphy, is expected to deliver his closing speech on Friday, followed by the judge, John Griffith Williams QC, on Monday.