Court shown mobile-phone video of baby being attacked
Darren Newton, 32, slapped and kicked 15-month-old boy, jury told in murder trial at Manchester crown court
Mobile-phone video footage taken by a man slapping and kicking a crying 15-month-old boy whom he allegedly murdered was shown to a court today.
Jurors placed their hands over their mouths as they watched the clips as the screams and cries of baby Charlie Hunt could be heard in the courtroom at Manchester crown court. The clips were the culmination of six months of abuse.
Darren Newton, 32, from Earby, Lancashire, shot the videos for his "pleasure and satisfaction" as he repeatedly injured his girlfriend Laura Chapman's son while she was out at work, the jury were told. He denies murder.
The clips were entitled: "Crying, no toys in pen, ahh", "Squeezing toe in cot", "Two minutes of pain" and "Shivering no water", taken when the baby was naked in an empty bath.
In one graphic clip, entitled "Happy Slap", taken a fortnight before Charlie died, and a precursor, the prosecution alleges, to the fatal attack, Newton is seen to slap him 12 times on the head as he screams in pain and cries.
Newton is also seen forcing his finger into his ear then roughly twisting it as tears roll down Charlie's face and he tries to raise his hand in defence. It ends with the crying baby being kicked on the floor.
A fortnight later, in November last year, an ambulance was called and Charlie was taken to hospital after he became ill when Newton was babysitting while his girlfriend was at work. Charlie died from head injuries an hour later, despite the intervention of medical staff.
Doctors found suspicious bruising and discovered that he had swelling and bleeding to his brain and his eyes were damaged and bleeding.
Newton has admitted 12 charges of child cruelty but denies two other child-cruelty charges and the murder charge.
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Seriously, wtf is wrong with people that do this. Sickening.
