GreenSurfer
Well-Known Member
A cannabis abuser murdered his 16-month-old baby by snapping her back in two following weeks of horrific physical abuse, a court heard today.
James Howson, 25, twisted his fragile and malnourished daughter's arms and legs before breaking her spine with sickening force, it was alleged.
Little Amy spent the last eight weeks of her life in agony after suffering fractures and bruises all over her body.
Her jobless father broke both her arms, a leg and a rib with brutal beatings and no one took her to a doctor for treatment, Leeds Crown Court was told.
Heath visitors had tried in vain to check on the baby after a missed appointment, but her appalling suffering was only revealed after her death on 23 December last year.
Describing the fatal attack in graphic terms to the jury, prosecutor Gary Burrell, QC, said: 'He snapped her back in two at waist level as though he held her over his knee or thigh or possibly a chair or sofa back with her back downwards.
'He then used extreme force on her body so as to hyperextend the back and cause a complete break at the level of the first lumbar vertebra. Her back was literally snapped in two.'
Amy also suffered a serious injury to her forehead just before her death and had bleeding to the brain.
'On any view it was a fairly horrific type of assault,' said Mr Burrell.
He said Amy would have died within a few hours of receiving these injuries at the Doncaster home Howson shared with his partner and Amy's mother Tina Hunt, 26.
Howson denies murder and two offences of cruelty.
Hunt has admitted allowing the death of a child and one offence of cruelty and will be sentenced at the end of the trial.
The jury has not been told of a motive for the attacks, but they coincided with Hunt becoming pregnant again.
When Howson was arrested he tried to blame the family pet Staffordshire bull terrier, telling police the dog had got into bed with Amy the night before her death.
Mr Burrell said the toddler would have been in 'significant pain' for up to eight weeks due to the numerous fractures and bruises. Family members said she screamed continuously if picked up.
The court heard Hunt was in the house at the time Amy died. She had been suffering morning sickness and leaving Howson to deal with the baby.
When Amy was found not to be breathing she rang her father who raised the alarm.
The baby was lying on a sheet in the doorway wearing only a nappy when police and paramedics arrived. Howson was trying to resuscitate her.
Asked what happened he told officers the child had fallen out of bed the previous night and banged her head.
He said he took her downstairs, smoked some cannabis and cradled the baby in his arms until they both fell asleep.
He said he found her not breathing and without a pulse when he woke up at 9.30 am.
A pathologist concluded Amy was 'seriously undernourished and dehydrated' and there was 'clear evidence of deprivation of food and water.'
She weighed only 6.2kg (13lb 7oz), which was the same as she weighed at six months of age.
Mr Burrell said of the baby's injuries: 'It is inconceivable that anyone looking after this child would not have been aware of her pain and distress following those injuries and that any reasonable person would have obtained medical assistance.'
He said none of Howson's explanations for some of her injuries were 'in any way credible.'
Amy's grandfather Colin Hunt said Amy was happy until a few months before her death then seemed to 'go down' and stopped smiling and was always screaming.
He thought her right arm was 'not right' and told his daughter to take Amy to the doctor, but she never did.
The prosecution alleged Hunt must have known about the assaults by Howson and she failed to take reasonable steps to protect the child by contacting the police or social services.
The baby was registered with a doctor and had a six-month check.
After she missed her 12-month routine appointment health visitors twice visited the house in October last year and no one answered the door.
A letter was left informing them of the importance of keeping medical appointments.
The case continues.
James Howson, 25, twisted his fragile and malnourished daughter's arms and legs before breaking her spine with sickening force, it was alleged.
Little Amy spent the last eight weeks of her life in agony after suffering fractures and bruises all over her body.
Her jobless father broke both her arms, a leg and a rib with brutal beatings and no one took her to a doctor for treatment, Leeds Crown Court was told.
Heath visitors had tried in vain to check on the baby after a missed appointment, but her appalling suffering was only revealed after her death on 23 December last year.
Describing the fatal attack in graphic terms to the jury, prosecutor Gary Burrell, QC, said: 'He snapped her back in two at waist level as though he held her over his knee or thigh or possibly a chair or sofa back with her back downwards.
'He then used extreme force on her body so as to hyperextend the back and cause a complete break at the level of the first lumbar vertebra. Her back was literally snapped in two.'
Amy also suffered a serious injury to her forehead just before her death and had bleeding to the brain.
'On any view it was a fairly horrific type of assault,' said Mr Burrell.
He said Amy would have died within a few hours of receiving these injuries at the Doncaster home Howson shared with his partner and Amy's mother Tina Hunt, 26.
Howson denies murder and two offences of cruelty.
Hunt has admitted allowing the death of a child and one offence of cruelty and will be sentenced at the end of the trial.
The jury has not been told of a motive for the attacks, but they coincided with Hunt becoming pregnant again.
When Howson was arrested he tried to blame the family pet Staffordshire bull terrier, telling police the dog had got into bed with Amy the night before her death.
Mr Burrell said the toddler would have been in 'significant pain' for up to eight weeks due to the numerous fractures and bruises. Family members said she screamed continuously if picked up.
The court heard Hunt was in the house at the time Amy died. She had been suffering morning sickness and leaving Howson to deal with the baby.
When Amy was found not to be breathing she rang her father who raised the alarm.
The baby was lying on a sheet in the doorway wearing only a nappy when police and paramedics arrived. Howson was trying to resuscitate her.
Asked what happened he told officers the child had fallen out of bed the previous night and banged her head.
He said he took her downstairs, smoked some cannabis and cradled the baby in his arms until they both fell asleep.
He said he found her not breathing and without a pulse when he woke up at 9.30 am.
A pathologist concluded Amy was 'seriously undernourished and dehydrated' and there was 'clear evidence of deprivation of food and water.'
She weighed only 6.2kg (13lb 7oz), which was the same as she weighed at six months of age.
Mr Burrell said of the baby's injuries: 'It is inconceivable that anyone looking after this child would not have been aware of her pain and distress following those injuries and that any reasonable person would have obtained medical assistance.'
He said none of Howson's explanations for some of her injuries were 'in any way credible.'
Amy's grandfather Colin Hunt said Amy was happy until a few months before her death then seemed to 'go down' and stopped smiling and was always screaming.
He thought her right arm was 'not right' and told his daughter to take Amy to the doctor, but she never did.
The prosecution alleged Hunt must have known about the assaults by Howson and she failed to take reasonable steps to protect the child by contacting the police or social services.
The baby was registered with a doctor and had a six-month check.
After she missed her 12-month routine appointment health visitors twice visited the house in October last year and no one answered the door.
A letter was left informing them of the importance of keeping medical appointments.
The case continues.
