Baby boy was 'hurt with 'force'

A pathologist has told a jury in a murder trial that a baby suffered a "significant impact" to his head hours before he died.

Cameron Wootton was 10 months old when he was taken to hospital in Coventry with serious head injuries in May last year. He died two days later.

Dr Peter Acland told the court "severe force" would be needed to cause the injuries.

Ryan Ledger, 20, of Walsgrave, Coventry, denies a murder charge.

Fractured skull

Mr Ledger, of Wigston Road, rang the emergency services on 9 May from his girlfriend Stacey Jackson's home in Navigation Way. Miss Jackson was Cameron's mother.

Doctors found Cameron had a fractured skull and bleeding at the back of his eyes.

Dr Acland told Birmingham Crown Court how he found swelling to Cameron's brain and an 8in (20cm) skull fracture.

He said "severe force" would be needed to cause the injuries, such as "the baby being picked up and slammed down".

Bruises noted

He said: "This child has had a significant impact within a few hours of being admitted to hospital, whether or not there was a previous injury."

He also noted bruises to Cameron's sides which would fit with someone holding the child "rather more firmly."

Earlier, consultant paediatrician Dr Kathryn Bailey told Birmingham Crown Court Cameron's injuries were consistent with being shaken or being in a road accident.

Dr Bailey told the court haemorrhaging was sometimes associated with metabolic conditions, but she had no reason to suspect this in Cameron's case.

She added Mr Ledger asked her several times if a CT scan would put a time on when the injuries occurred.

When asked about what had happened Mr Ledger told her Cameron had started vomiting white fluid and become floppy while being put to bed.

He said he had shaken Cameron to get a reaction but supported his head while doing so, she said.