GUILTY UK - Hollie Ashurst, 14 months, murdered, Wigan, 3 Jan 2019 *father arrested*

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  • #101
  • #102
Day 7:

11.25am

A lawyer for the prosecution has started reading out the agreed facts. The first section relates to items seized during the investigation, including two mobile phones belonging to Ashurst and one owned by his partner Leanne Thompson.

The next section relates to CCTV footage in the case, including the journey made by Ashurst from his home in Shevington to Standish Medical Centre. The journey measures 3.1 miles and should take nine minutes in normal road conditions and speed limits according to the AA. He set off at 1.27pm.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as jury continues to hear prosecution evidence
 
  • #103
Day 7:

11.30am

Ashurst was arrested and cautioned on suspicion of section 18 assault at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital by PC Smith at 9.42pm on February 28. He was taken to Longsight Police Station. One comment he made was about how he would never put a finger on her. He spoke about his medication and how he saw his doctor every eight weeks. He said he occasionally used cocaine on a night out, then said he didn't use it and just smoked "stuff like cigarettes". He denied smoking cannabis and using illegal drugs. He said he felt shocked and couldn't believe it.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as jury continues to hear prosecution evidence
 
  • #104
Day 7:

11.35am

When arrested on suspicion of murder, Ashurst said: "That's awful, what's Leanne said?" Police held interviews with him on various dates, when he was represented by a solicitor and an appropriate adult was there. Ashurst replied "no comment" to all questions asked.

Ashurst has two previous convictions, relating to an incident on February 12, 2006. He entered guilty pleas to failing to report an accident and driving without due care and attention. He was given a fine, penalty points and his driving licence was endorsed.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as jury continues to hear prosecution evidence
 
  • #105
Day 7:

11.40am

Agreed facts involving Leanne Thompson include that Ashurst "adored" Hollie, was involved in changing and feeding her, and often looked after her. She would never have thought of Ashurst hurting Hollie.

Ashurst drove Leanne to work at DC Hair on February 28. It was her second day of work there, having started on Saturday, February 23. They arrived just after 9am.

She said Hollie was learning to walk and often bumped into things. She noticed what she thought was a bite mark on Hollie's leg as she changed her nappy. When she asked Ashurst if he had seen it, he said: "That's never a bite, she must have banged herself."

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as jury continues to hear prosecution evidence
 
  • #106
  • #107
  • #108
Day 8:

10.40am

Mr Justice Dove has arrived and Daniel Ashurst is in the dock. He's wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt and a tie. The jury is now coming in too.

Ms Grahame has just called Ashurst to the witness stand. He takes the oath. He says his full name and date of birth. He's 33 years old.

He was asked if he deliberately caused harm to Hollie on February 28 and says "absolutely not". He denies having ever caused harm to Hollie. He says he never shook her or bit her.

Ashurst was born in Wigan and has two younger brothers. His dad died in 2010. He saw his mum a lot and she lived nearby. He has four nieces and nephews.

He went to Abraham Guest High School and left at the age of 16 with GCSEs.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #109
Day 8:

10.45am

He started having problems with anxiety when he was 24 or 25.

"I would address it by booking appointments to see a doctor or going to see my mental health person," he says.

He has received medication for it since 2011. He had depression as well.

"I was worrying about things, maybe thinks that didn't need worrying about," he said.

He worked in various warehouses and factories after leaving school, before getting a job at Heinz in Wigan in his early to mid 20s.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #110
Day 8:

10.50am

Ashurst says his mum and uncle Christopher Lynch knew about his mental health issues. His mum would always be at the end of the phone if he needed anything.

He had panic attacks sometimes, which made him "really panicky" and he had "hot sweats". He had a panic attack on February 28.

He says he was involved with looking after Hollie and did lots for her, including feeding and dressing her. "I was very, very capable of looking after her. I enjoyed looking after her more than anything."

He has a daughter from a previous relationship. She's six now. He last saw her in March 2018. He split from her mother in 2013.

He met Leanne Thompson through a dating website in September 2016. There were making plans to get married in 2020 and says it was a "very happy relationship."

"We were settled in a new house in Fleming Court, which we had been in six to eight months. Things were going brilliantly," he says.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #111
Day 8:

10.55am He says he was "absolutely over the moon" when Leanne became pregnant and was at her side when Hollie was born.

Hollie had a cleft lip and palate and had operations for that. He was at the hospital with her. "To see her go through that was really upsetting and heartbreaking."

He says Hollie slept through the night as a baby and was "good as gold". "She was very much loved," he says.

Ashurst said: "I was forever putting photos of her on Facebook, every single morning, saying how beautiful she was and how happy she looked. I was well in there with looking after her and being a good dad."

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #112
Day 8:

11am

Ashurst describes how Hollie was learning to walk by February 2019. "She was standing up, she was trying to walk, she was pulling herself up on furniture, falling down all the time, banging her head on different pieces of furniture."

Ms Grahame is referring to video footage previously seen in court of Ashurst speaking to a police officer in hospital, talking about Hollie trying to stand against a coffee table. He says this was a wooden table at his mum's house which Hollie banged her chin on.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #113
Day 8:

11.05am

Leanne had been doing a bit of work in January 2019, including renting a chair in Standish and work at home. She then got a job at a salon in Ashton and was going to work there two days a week. Ashurst cared for her while Leanne was working or sometimes his mum.

He says Hollie had a "brilliant relationship" with both him and Leanne.

Ashurst took Hollie with him when he had his hair cut on February 27, the day before she was rushed to hospital.

"You could basically do anything you wanted to do and she wouldn't cause you any problems at all," he says.

Ashurst says it had become "the norm" for him to drink three or four cans a night. He wasn't getting drunk and didn't think it was a problem. He contacted Addaction after being told to do so by mental health services. He says drinking didn't cause any problems between him and Leanne.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #114
Day 8:

11.10am

He started using cocaine in 2016 or 2017. "I would use it possibly twice, three times a week if I was out doing anything that involved drinking really."

He said he didn't use a lot, maybe two or three lines, and it made him feel "relaxed, happy".

He told police he took cocaine and then said he didn't. He says he realised he had told police he took drugs, which is why he changed what he said.

Ashurst says he took cocaine between 9.30pm and 10pm on Wednesday, February 27. He had two cans of lager and was watching sport on TV.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #115
Day 8:

11.15am

Ashurst says they didn't have any money worries. He was claiming benefits because he wasn't working. He got PIP for his anxiety and depression, ESA and universal credit. His mum used to give him money too - about £6,000 around 18 months to two years before Hollie died. His uncle paid for the lease on his car. Ashurst got a large inheritance when his dad died and also inherited his car, which he sold for £9,000.

Ashurst went on holiday with Leanne and Hollie in February 2019 to Gran Canaria. He said they paid for that with money he had saved that had been given to him by his mum and uncle and from his benefits.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #116
Day 8:

11.20am

Ms Grahame QC is referring to text messages the jury has already heard about. Leanne had lent money to someone and they had not paid it back. Ashurst explains he told her to ask for the money back and to stop lending money to people.

He is asked about a message Leanne sent saying he spent £150 on drugs. When asked if he had done that, he says: "Possibly yes, I think we may have been going out that week."

She is now asking about messages between Ashurst and Craig Forshaw. He says he leased the car from Mr Forshaw and he became a family friend. Mr Forshaw wanted to borrow £325. Ashurst was with Leanne and made an excuse blaming her for not getting the money, but he says Leanne knew about it and was with him when he sent the message. He didn't want to say no to Mr Forshaw.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #117
  • #118
Day 8:

11.35am

In September 2018 Ashurst went to his GP and was referred to Claire House. He had a telephone triage appointment in November 2018. He had applied for PIP. He says he wasn't necessarily struggling with his mental health but has "always been an anxious person".

Ms Grahame is going through the notes of his medical appointment in January 2019. He said he was having trouble sleeping and the medication wasn't helping him. "A lot of it was exaggerated because I was applying for the PIP and there was an assessment going through," he says.

He said he told the medical worker about how he looked after Hollie. He says if he had told her he was worried about looking after Hollie when Leanne returned to work, she should have taken safeguarding action. He doesn't think it was said in that context. He was not concerned about looking after Hollie and if he was, there were a lot of family members around to help.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #119
Day 8:

11.45am

A health visitor went to the family home for a 12-month assessment of Hollie in February 2019. "As far as I was concerned, she left very happy," says Ashurst.

On Wednesday, February 27, he was at home in the morning with Leanne and Hollie. "We woke up, Hollie had a bottle, she came and played with us in the bed for an hour or so, watched TV." Leanne was doing someone's nails and he went to Wigan to have his hair cut. He took Hollie with him. Afterwards, they went for breakfast in Wigan town centre and then he bought shorts in Primark.

He went home and Leanne was doing a woman's nails, while her three-year-old son played on the living room floor. Hollie played there too while Ashurst went upstairs to the bathroom and bedroom. He says the boy "snatched" a few things from Hollie's hands but she wasn't upset. He was about double the size of Hollie.

He later went to an appointment at Claire House and Leanne took Hollie to the library.

After the appointment, he spoke to Craig Forshaw by phone. He wanted Ashurst to pick up a filing cabinet for him, but he couldn't find the location so he drove home.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
  • #120
Day 8:

11.55am

At 5.50pm Ashurst took a photograph of Hollie, who was being bathed by Leanne.

"Before she got in the bath, she (Leanne) took her upstairs to change her and she shouted me up to have a look at a mark on her leg. I went up to have a look at it and it was a red mark on her thigh," he says.

This mark is what the jury has heard is thought to be a bite mark. He says when he saw it, it didn't look like the photograph that was later taken.

Leanne had an early night and he stayed up. He took cocaine. He then went to bed. "I slept very well. I certainly had a good 10 hours," he said.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as accused father takes to the witness stand
 
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