Boyfriend ‘murdered his girlfriend’s baby daughter’

A man murdered his partner’s baby daughter by inflicting ‘car-crash like’ injuries which were among the worst a doctor had ever seen, a court heard.

Ryan Coleman, 23, is accused of causing a catalogue of ‘devastating’ injuries to his girlfriend’s one-year-old daughter Evelyn-Rose Muggleton at their home.

The tragic tot died days after being found unconscious at the couple’s property in Kettering, Northamptonshire on April 26 last year.

A court heard Coleman had subjected Evelyn to a ‘deliberate and violent’ assault leaving her with over 31 injuries including multiple bruising and bleeds on the brain.

Ryan Coleman, 23, is on trial at Birmingham Crown Court (pictured) accused of causing a catalogue of ‘devastating’ injuries to his girlfriend’s one-year-old daughter Evelyn-Rose Muggleton

Prosecutor Jonas Hankin said the ‘high energy trauma’ was akin to a car seat becoming detached during a car crash.

On Monday Coleman, of no fixed address, went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of murder.

He denies the charge claiming Evelyn had fallen off her toddler bed, which was 36cm (14ins) from the carpeted floor, while he was folding clothes.

Coleman also says she may have suffered injuries during resuscitation attempts by her mother and paramedics.

But Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC told jurors how one doctor had said the injuries were ‘entirely in keeping with a severe episode of abusive head trauma’.

Evelyn was taken to Kettering General Hospital after she was found unconscious at the couple's home in Kettering, Northamptonshire

Evelyn was taken to Kettering General Hospital after she was found unconscious at the couple’s home in Kettering, Northamptonshire

Another health professional said they were ‘one of the most severe he has ever reported’.

Mr Hankin added: : ‘It is inconceivable to me that such injuries would occur from such a low level fall.’

He said Evelyn had suffered multiple sites of bleeding in areas of the brain and spinal canal as well as tears and bruising in the brain substance.

She had also suffered bleeding in both eyes, tissue damage and multiple bruises, including on both sides of the face ‘consistent with forceful gripping or slapping’.

Describing the experts’ views, Mr Hankin said: ‘They are of one voice.

‘That voice is that the history given by the defendant of a minor fall does not in any way explain the degree or type of injuries Evelyn sustained.

Evelyn was transferred to Nottingham's Ween Medical Centre (pictured) where she died three days after the incident

Evelyn was transferred to Nottingham’s Ween Medical Centre (pictured) where she died three days after the incident

‘The prosecution case is that Coleman deliberately and violently assaulted Evelyn, intending to cause her really serious harm.’

Jurors were told Coleman had been the main carer for the child and four other children while their mother was working.

Paramedics were called to the property by Evelyn’s mother at 9.06am on April 26.

She relayed information from Coleman, who had phoned her at work ‘hysterically’ at 9.04am telling her Evelyn had fallen off her toddler bed and was not breathing.

The child’s mother ran home and gave her CPR before calling 999 again.

The court heard she was beside herself, shouting ‘she’s not breathing, she’s not breathing’ five times before recalling Coleman saying ‘she’s going to hate me’.

The court heard Coleman was then heard to say ‘I should have caught her. I haven’t done anything, she fell off the bed’.

Evelyn was taken to Kettering General Hospital before being transferred to Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.

She died three days after the incident, on April 29.

The mother told police Coleman had taken care of the children ‘as if they were his own’ but he had been ‘unusually withdrawn’ that morning. 

 Later the court heard how Coleman blamed Evelyn’s fatal injuries on his own partner in a ‘cynical’ attempt to deflect the blame, a court heard.

He claimed the tot’s mum had caused the injuries during CPR attempts to resuscitate her after she fell from her bed.

Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC told a jury: ‘The suggestion the injuries that caused her death may have been caused by her mother represent a cynical attempt to deflect blame on to her.

‘It was he who caused the death of Evelyn.

‘Extensive bleeding in the membrane was visible to the naked eye and there was deep dense bruising in the scalp.

‘Fresh brain injuries were found alongside healed older brain injuries. There was also bleeding in the spinal canal.

‘There was evidence of not just bruising but also tearing.

‘It is the combination of the injuries that is of great significance in this case.

‘How can these many different, severe injuries be explained?

‘In an accidental setting this energy would be akin to injuries found in a vehicle road accident.

‘In my experience her injuries are on the extreme end on the spectrum.

‘A shaking type mechanism may have been a contributing factor.

‘The injuries are not explained by a single fall – they are the result of more than one episode of inflicted trauma.’

The trial continues. 

 

 

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