Mother's 'hate' for murder accused

Carla-Nicole Bone died in hospital in May

A mother accused of murdering her daughter has told how her former partner's face was "full of evil" as he allegedly swung the 13-month-old girl against a wall.

Andrea Bone, 20, said that 27-year-old Sandy McClure - who is also charged with murdering Carla-Nicole Bone earlier this year - had been shouting at the child.

And she told the High Court in Stonehaven that she hated her co-accused for killing her daughter.

Sandy McClure denies murder

Ms Bone was giving evidence on Monday as the trial entered its 10th day.

She and Mr McClure both deny murdering Carla-Nicole after a number of alleged cruel acts at a cottage near Huntly in Aberdeenshire.

She died in May in the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital.

The charges allege that Carla-Nicole was subjected to cruel and sustained abuse in the four-and-a-half months leading up to her death.

Mr McClure is accused of force-feeding the toddler, assaulting her, and forcing her to stand for long periods to try and make her walk.

Force feeding

Ms Bone is charged with witnessing Mr McClure's actions at Conland Farm Cottage, Forgue, but failing to protect her daughter or seek any medical treatment for her injuries.

She told the court that Mr McClure could be short-tempered with her daughter when she did not do as she was told.

Ms Bone said he would force-feed Carla-Nicole and that he had grabbed her and slammed her against a wall.

I hate him. He killed my little girl

Andrea Bone

However, she felt that he had more experience of children and looked to him for help.

Ms Bone said that on the day of her death Carla-Nicole had been standing against a living room wall.

She told defence advocate Jack Davidson QC: "I remember Sandy having his fingers around her throat and dragging her up the wall then smacking her against the wall really really hard - you could actually feel it coming out at you.

"He was shouting something, I don't know what he was shouting, I couldn't understand him."

He then turned her upside down and held her by the ankles, she said.

'I couldn't move'

"Her face was facing the wall and he was swinging her from side to side like a grandfather clock. He was going really really quickly," said Ms Bone.

"Her head was hitting the wall but I don't know how hard because I couldn't see because he was blocking.

"He picked her up in his arms and I wanted to get to her but I couldn't move."

Andrea Bone gave evidence on Monday

Ms Bone said that it appeared Carla-Nicole had fainted. Mr McClure stood her against the wall again and she kept falling over.

The couple then took Carla-Nicole to hospital in nearby Huntly where she received medical attention.

Bone said this was a side of Mr McClure that she had never seen.

"His face was full of evil, it was like it wasn't him," she said.

Asked about her feelings towards Mr McClure now, she said: "I hate him. He killed my little girl."

Firmer hands

Ms Bone said she had been assaulted by Mr McClure in the past.

She also said that she had been suicidal after the death of her daughter.

Asked why she had not done more to protect Carla-Nicole, she said: "You've seen the size of him, he's much bigger than me, he's got much firmer hands than me, he scares me at times."

The trial continues.