Poppi Worthington’s father today described his daughter as a ‘bully’ and sobbed as he refused to say why the toddler’s DNA was on his genitals before she died – one of 252 questions he dodged at her inquest.
Paul Worthington, 49, was accused of sexually abusing 13-month-old Poppi shortly before her tragic death in 2012 – but he escaped prosecution amid claims of a bungled police investigation.
Mr Justice Peter Jackson said last year the toddler probably suffered ‘a penetrative sexual assault’ at the hands of her father shortly before her sudden death.
Giving evidence for a second day today, Poppi’s father dodged 183 questions by citing ‘Rule 22’, which allows witnesses at inquests to avoid incriminating themselves. Yesterday he refused 69.
But he did reply to a question about Poppi’s personality and said she was a ‘lovely bubbly, happy’ child, adding: ‘She could bully – in her own little way’.
He was asked specifically why her DNA was on his genitals and why she was bleeding from her bottom. He refused to say, but the inquest heard he had told police it was because he had been to the toilet after trying to help her breathe.
He was also asked if he had sexually abused her or smothered her with a pillow and again refused to answer before he broke down in tears.
Medical staff at Furness General Hospital told the toddler’s inquest this week she had arrived in A&E with blood dribbling down her legs and could not be saved.
A court drawing of Paul Worthington, 49, who sobbed when he was asked if he abused his daughter but refused to say at her inquest
Poppi Worthington’s father Paul – who has been accused of abusing his daughter was rushed into coroner’s court ahead of his evidence at his daughter’s inquest yesterday
Poppi Worthington died in December 2012 after she collapsed at home at Barrow-in-Furness. In January 2014 a judge ruled that her father probably sexually assaulted her before her death
Kate Stone, representing the mother, asked him about Poppi’s health, and taking him through events on the day she died.
All her questions were unanswered by the witness.
Poppi’s ‘abuser’ dad is in witness protection
Poppi Worthington’s father is in ‘witness protection’ paid for by the taxpayer to hide his identity and location, the inquest heard yesterday.
Police are protecting Paul Worthington following online death threats made after a judge said he probably sexually assaulted his daughter before her death.
His barrister Paul Clark told the hearing: ‘He has been in a long term position of great vulnerability and risk and as a result has been in a long-term position of witness protection whereby his current appearance and location are not known.
‘There are photos of Mr Worthington online but what is not known to the public is currently his location but also his current appearance.’
Yesterday Mr Worthington was bundled into the coroner’s court through a back door by officers from Cumbria Police.
The father, who was living in Cumbria when Poppi died, is has gone into hiding in another part of the country.
Witness protection, normally offered to people whose lives are at risk from criminals they give evidence against in court, can cost the taxpayer as much as £50,000 a year.
A Cumbria Police spokesman said: ‘Cumbria Constabulary this morning assisted in the arrival of Paul Worthington to Kendal County Hall, where he is due to give evidence at an inquest.
‘Security arrangements have been in place for Mr Worthington following threats made towards him. To ensure Mr Worthington’s safe arrival, a number of police resources were in place.’
The force did not comment on whether Poppi’s father is in a formal witness protection scheme.
The comments came during Mr Worthington’s application to give evidence to the inquest from behind a screen, known as ‘special measures’.
Alison Hewitt, counsel for the inquest, told the hearing: ‘Reporting Mr’s Worthington’s current appearance may, under operational sensitivities, undo work done to date in relation to ongoing arrangements for protection.’
Mr Clark argued that Mr Worthington’s life was at risk if members of the public could see his appearance.
Ms Stone continued: ‘Do you accept something caused Poppi to bleed before she went into the ambulance?
‘Was she bleeding Mr Worthington because you had put something into her anus?
‘Why did you hurt your daughter Mr Worthington?’
The witness shook his head and gave the stock reply he had used before.
He went on to use the same answer to questions put to him about the whereabouts of the laptop on which he said he had been watching pornography, on the night of his daughter’s death, which he soon sold and police did not recover.
Over two sessions, two hours on Wednesday afternoon and two hours on Thursday, Mr Worthington replied 252 times with the same answer.
He replied with the same stock answer when questioned about several inconsistencies between his statements and accounts given to police and family courts and what he told paramedics and hospital doctors at different times.
He was also asked about Poppi’s DNA being found on his genitals, which he has previously said was by transfer from him holding the child then going to the lavatory at the hospital.
Ms Hewitt asked him whether he was ‘aware of the view expressed by at least one pathologist that the findings of the post mortem suggest that there had been penetration of Poppi’s anus’.
She continued: ‘Can I ask you expressly please. Did you penetrate Poppi’s anus at any time?’
She continued: ‘Did you at any time place Poppi in a position where her face was pushed into a pillow? Or put your hand or an object over her face?’
Mr Worthington replied again in a quiet voice: ‘I refer to my earlier statements, rule 22.’
Poppi’s mother, who stormed out of the room yesterday, stayed in the inquest and looked visibly upset as he refused to answer question-after-question to avoid self-incrimination.
Today he was again bundled into his daughter’s inquest at Kendal, Cumbria, by police and used a hood to hide his face amid claims he has had death threats.
He has repeatedly used ‘Rule 22’ of Britain’s Coroners Rules to avoid describing his relationship with Poppi or her mother in case his own evidence was incriminating, the inquest heard.
When asked about sleeping arrangements at the family home and his daughter’s morning routine he also said repeatedly: ‘I rely on the right not to answer that under rule 22’.
Poppi’s mother, who cannot be named, then walked out as he refused to answer what happened in the 24 hours before Poppi died after dodging 69 questions. Hours earlier her QC said she had waited five years for his evidence.
It has emerged that Worthington has been in £50,000-a-year ‘witness protection’ since January 2016 when a judge said he probably abused Poppi, who suffered acute internal injuries before she died.
Worthington, who denies hurting his daughter, did say that Poppi, said she had a good appetite and was generally ‘fit as a fiddle’ before her death.
And he admitted he had an on-off relationship including ‘sporadic’ sex with Poppi’s mother who did not like his OCD and the fact he watched too much sport on TV and liked to gamble.
Earlier Worthington successfully demanded to be hidden from the public behind a screen after claiming he received death threats warning him he faced being ‘killed’ or ‘castrated’.
Cumbria Constabulary sent a marked patrol car to the front door of Kendal Coroner’s Court as a decoy as the unmarked people carrier containing Worthington went to another entrance, witnesses said.
At least ten police officers were on duty outside the court despite no protesters being in attendance but the force said it was necessary to ensure his ‘safe arrival’.
Inside court his lawyer then asked for permission for Worthington to give evidence from behind a screen after people said he should be ‘castrated’ or ‘killed’.
The lawyer representing Poppi Worthington’s mother, who cannot be named, told the coroner: ‘We support there should be no screen. She’s waited almost five years for this hearing’.
Paul Clark, representing Mr Worthington, said: ‘He has been in a long-term position of great vulnerability and risk and he’s been in a long-term position of witness protection, whereby currently his appearance and location is not known.
‘There are photos of Mr Worthington online but what is not known to the public is currently his location but also his current appearance.
‘In this case it has been apparent throughout that there’s a real risk to Mr Worthington’s life, and even if not at a risk of death, risk of serious mistreatment and clearly substantial concerns outside these tangible risks and substantial concerns on Mr Worthington’s right to private life that has already been jeopardised, very, very substantially indeed.’
Following legal submissions over several hours Mr Roberts ruled in favour of the press He directed that Mr Worthington must give evidence in court in view of the press but will be screened from anyone watching in the public gallery.
Poppi died from the injuries sustained shortly after her father, who had been watching pornography, took her into his bed at the family home in Barrow-in-Furness, in December 2012
Worthington strenuously denies any wrongdoing and has never been charged with any offence despite questions about his conduct
HOW THE DETAILS OF LITTLE POPPI’S DEATH REMAINED SECRET FOR YEARS BEFORE HER INQUEST
December 2012 – Poppi Worthington dies suddenly aged 13 months after she collapses at her home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
February 2013 – Poppi is buried after the coroner releases her body.
June 2013 – A full post-mortem report indicates the cause of death is unascertained.
August 2013 – Poppi’s parents are arrested and formally interviewed for the first time. Poppi’s father, Paul Worthington, is questioned on suspicion of sexually assaulting his daughter – an allegation he denies.
March 2014 – Fact-finding judgment on the circumstances of Poppi’s death is delivered in private as part of family court proceedings involving other children in the family. Its publication is delayed in case it prejudices any criminal trial.
October 2014 – HM Coroner for South Cumbria, Ian Smith, holds an inquest at Barrow Town Hall and takes just seven minutes to declare her death as unexplained after stating he was satisfied to rely on the findings of the private fact-finding judgment. The case is not listed in Poppi’s name but as ‘a child aged 13 months’.
January 2015 – Senior Coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, confirms he will ask for a fresh inquest in a written reply to lawyers representing various media organisations who argued the October hearing was insufficient and therefore unlawful.
March 2015 – Cumbria Police announce no charges will be brought against anyone over Poppi’s death after they had previously passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service for its consideration.
April 2015 – Paul Worthington is granted a review of the March 2014 medical evidence, which further delays publication of the original fact-finding judgment.
July 2015 – High Court judges order a fresh inquest into the youngster’s death after the first hearing was deemed ‘irregular’.
November 2015 – A hearing reviewing the medical evidence from the March 2014 court proceedings gets under way in Liverpool. Ahead of the hearing, Mr Justice Peter Jackson releases parts of his original fact-finding judgment which reveal that Cumbria Police did not conduct any ‘real’ investigation into Poppi’s death for nine months despite a senior pathologist raising concerns the girl’s injuries were caused by ‘a sexual assault’.
January 18 2016 – Mr Justice Peter Jackson announces his findings from the review hearing and says her bleeding could only be sensibly explained as the result of penetrative trauma.
He said the toddler robably suffered ‘a penetrative sexual assault’ at the hands of her father shortly before her sudden death.
November 27 2017 – An inquest into her death finally begins – but her father refuses to answer majority of questions in case he is incriminated
Police failed to investigate until eight months later – despite medical experts Poppi had injuries consistent with a sex attack – and her father has not been prosecuted.
Today Worthington started to give his version of events and he claims he found her lifeless in his bed and had nothing to do with it.
But he then used his right not to answer.
Defending the number of officers involved in protecting him a Cumbria Constabulary spokesman said: ‘Cumbria Constabulary this morning assisted in the arrival of Paul Worthington to Kendal County Hall, where he is due to give evidence at an inquest.
‘Security arrangements have been in place for Mr Worthington following threats made towards him.
‘To ensure Mr Worthington’s safe arrival, a number of police resources were in place.’
Yesterday consultant paediatrician Dr Osama Braima described how he fought to resuscitate Poppi for 57 minutes at Furness General Hospital before she was pronounced dead.
He noticed she was ‘pouring’ fresh blood after she died, she told the inquest.
He said: ‘I thought there was something wrong inside the child and I was not comfortable. I was suspicious.’
He alerted Children’s Services and examined her body again five hours later at 11am in the children’s ward.
He said Poppi was still bleeding fresh blood, which he found to be ‘unusual’.
The doctor said Poppi’s death was unexplained and it has played on his mind.
‘It has stuck with me as quite significant,’ he said. I have never seen an incident of this kind to any child in my career.’
Poppi arrived by ambulance to hospital shortly after 6am on 12 December 2012.
Her First Aid trained father Paul, a former ASDA night shift worker, was in the back with her helping a paramedic perform CPR on the toddler.
Nurse Sarah McQuiston ran into the back scooped Poppi into her arms before rushing her into A&E.
She noticed Poppi was floppy, cold and blue and was bleeding bright red blood.
‘Blood was dribbling down her legs. She had no nappy on,’ Miss McQuiston told Kendal Coroner’s Court.
She said Poppi’s stomach was distended, bloated. ‘You could see it was quite tight, hard, a bit like a pregnant tummy,’ she said.
Clinical support worker Kelly Viceroy-Grieve liaised with Paul and Poppi’s in the hospital Relatives Room.
Paul has arrived in the ambulance dressed in just a blue t shirt and jeans. He had no coat and had no shoes or socks on, though he had brought them with him.
Miss Viceroy-Grieve said that Paul had told her that he had been still in his boxer shorts when the paramedic had arrived at their family home, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, arrived separately to Paul.
‘She was distraught, anxious, crying. She was talking more to Poppi’s dad, asking him questions ‘what’s happened? Is she still alive?’,’ said Miss Viceroy-Grieve.
She said Paul told her what had happened with Poppi.
She stated that he said: ‘She had woken up in her cot crying, so he put her into bed with him. He tried to give Poppi her dummy but she wouldn’t have it.
‘Poppi was making a face like she needed a poo, so he put his fingers on each side of her nappy to try to get the nappy from her bottom, so that she could try and push out with ease. He put two fingers on the side of her nappy so she could have a poo easily.’
Left: Nurse Sarah McQuiston, pictured today, told Kendal Coroner’s court that blood was dribbling down the child’s legs. Right: Tracy Anne Worthington, the aunt of Poppy and Paul Worthington’s sister, pictured arriving at the court yesterday
Poppi Worthington’s father Paul Worthington leaves Liverpool Civil and Family Courts after a hearing into the death of the 13-month-old in December 2012
Flowers laid at Poppi’s grave. An Independent Police Complaints Commission report in March 2017 concluded that senior detectives probing Poppi’s death were ‘unstructured and disorganised’
He explained that he went downstairs to get a nappy.
‘Paul said he went back upstairs to see Poppi and she was asleep and so he got back into bed with Poppi,’ Miss Viceroy-Grieve told Kendal Coroner’s Court.
He also added: ‘I don’t know why but I looked over to Poppi and touched her arm and it was lifeless.’
Earlier the inquest, which began on Monday, heard a harrowing 999 call from the girl’s mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as her daughter lay dying.
This fresh inquest was ordered by the High Court after the controversial first hearing in 2014, held by a different coroner, was shrouded in secrecy with Poppi listed as ‘a child aged 13 months’.
Shortly before 6am on the day of her death, Mr Worthington, who had put Poppi in his bed with him, went downstairs with her lifeless body and emergency services were called.
Little over an hour later, at 7.07am, Poppi was pronounced dead at Furness General Hospital, just a day after she had taken her first two steps.
Poppi’s mother was frequently visibly distressed as she gave evidence earlier this week, describing her relationship with the toddler’s father as ‘up and down’.
She described her daughter as ‘very alive, bubbly’.
‘You knew she was there, there was no missing her,’ she said.
The inquest continues.