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

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

3.10pm

A consultant at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital said Hollie was taken to Wigan Infirmary, where the circulation was re-established seven minutes after arrival. It was estimated she had been in cardiac arrest for 20 to 30 minutes.

She was later admitted to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. She was cared for overnight and the next morning it was concluded she had an unsurvivable injury. Life support was removed and she died at 4.36pm.

The jury has now been sent out for a short break.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

3.25pm Judge returns

Mr Justice Dove is now going through the forensic evidence. He refers to an expert who looked at items from Ashurst's home to see if there was blood. A baby wipe, tissue, grey towel and duvet with blood stains were found. The major components of DNA on them belonged to Hollie and minor components to Ashurst.

She also examined damage to shorts worn by Ashurst on February 28. There were rips to the pockets on the right side and left side, though less damage on the left. Ashurst had said he caught the shorts while going down the stairs. The more recent damage was on the right, but the post would be on the left.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

3.35pm Toxicology

Blood and urine samples from Ashurst were sent for analysis for the presence of alcohol, certain medications and illegal drugs. Cocaine was found in the urine sample. No alcohol was found. Prescribed medication also found.

The court was told it was not possible to say how drugs could affect an individual at any given time.

Samples were taken more than 11 hours after Hollie was taken to Standish Medical Centre.

The court hears the effects of class A drug cocaine include euphoria and increased heart rate. After the stimulant effect, it can cause fatigue and anxiety for several hours or days. Prolonged or heavy use can cause paranoia, panic attacks and psychosis.

The results indicated Ashurst had taken cocaine in the previous 24 hours or so and possibly during the morning of February 28.

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/crime/baby-hollie-ashurst-murder-trial-live-updates-proceedings-reach-final-stages-1883553

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

3.40pm Pathologist

Dr Charles Wilson carried out a post-mortem examination. She was a "well nourished" baby and of normal height and weight. She had scars from her operations.

He saw numerous injuries on her body. There were abrasions and bruises on her face, ear, head, arm, chest, leg. She had a group of injuries on her left hand that were consistent with a bite mark. She had two curved bruises on her left thigh which he thought were typical of a human bite mark.

An internal examination found additional bruising. She had bilateral subdural haemorrhage, which was thicker on the right-hand side. Her brain was swollen and soft. There was haemorrhage on her spinal cord. There was bleeding along both optic nerves associated with trauma. Her ankle was fractured.

Dr Wilson discussed the healing process when giving evidence. Many injuries were about a day old, when she collapsed.

He gave Hollie's cause of death as head injuries.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

3.55pm The triad

Dr Wilson told the jury about the triad, which are injuries sometimes associated with inflicted trauma. These are bleeding on the brain, retinal bleeding and swelling of the brain. He explained that it is controversial. He said there was no disease process that could cause all three. The triad is not absolute proof of inflicted trauma, but does raise suspicion. The "triad plus" is important, which is the triad with other injuries.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

4pm Injuries

Hollie had a possible bite mark, which he said was an older injury. Dr Wilson accepted some injuries came from medical intervention. The only fracture she had was to her right ankle, which was caused by a "blow or twist".

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

4.05pm Dr Daniel Du Plessis

Dr Du Plessis is a neuropathologist involved after Hollie's death. He said her brain was damaged from being denied blood and oxygen. There was brain swelling and injury to her spinal cord. She had intra-cranial subdural haemorrhage, which pointed strongly to traumatic injury. There was evidence of at least one previous episode of subdural haemorrhage. Experts differed on when this happened.

He also spoke about the triad. He was at a meeting of the Royal College of Pathologists where it was discussed. No agreement that on its own, the triad is proof of inflicted injury. There has to be more proof.

Dr Du Plessis spoke about studies into stairway falls.

"Triad plus" to be considered. Hollie had other injuries, including bruising on head and body, which other experts suggested was consistent with gripping, suspected bite marks and previous episodes of subdural haemorrhage.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 10:

4.20pm Jury sent home

The jury is now being sent home. The judge will continue summing up at 10am tomorrow and then send the jury out to make their deliberations.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates as proceedings reach final stages

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10:05am

Mr Justice Dove has come into the courtroom and the jury has been brought in. Ashurst is in the dock. Once again he's wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and a black tie.

The judge is continuing his summing up. He's going through the evidence given to the jury by Dr Daniel Du Plessis. He agreed that the second fall described by Ashurst on the stairs and Hollie falling out of the car seat presented a more acceptable risk of serious traumatic brain injury.

He also agreed that the car incident after heavy braking could have had significant acceleration and deceleration of the head and brain and exacerbated the head injury, increasing damage to the brain, but it was difficult to quantify the contribution of the second fall on the stairs or incident in the car in the development of the head injury.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.10am Fracture

Evidence from another doctor covered the fracture to Hollie's ankle. He also examined a rib but it was normal and had no fractures.

The injury to Hollie's ankle suggested it was "caused by a bending force". He said it could have been caused by "direct blow to the site or someone gripping the leg or ankle". The force to cause it would have been "significant".

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.15am CT scan

Another doctor spoke of examining a CT scan of Hollie's brain done at Wigan Infirmary. There was no evidence of soft tissue swelling of the head to suggest impact on a hard surface. There were no fractures to her skull. There was an "abnormal collection" of fluid between her brain and skull. The brain appeared to be "abnormal". There was evidence of brain swelling. The brain appeared to be "abnormal". There was evidence of brain swelling.

Hollie had bleeding on her brain. Fluid is not seen in normal individuals and usually it's caused by trauma, infection or, in rare cases, metabolic abnormality.

Hollie's injuries were thought to be most likely caused by trauma.

The doctor said low energy incidents like falling off a bed or down two steps would not cause injuries like Hollie had. These types of injuries are more commonly seen in high energy traumatic injuries like car crashes at high speed.

Hollie had high energy injuries, the doctor said. They could have been of a shaking type. There may have been impact against a soft surface.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.25am Hollie's eyes

Dr Roger Malcomson examined Hollie's eyes after the post-mortem examination. He found she had numerous bilateral haemorrhages. He said it was "typical of trauma, particularly abusive trauma".

He was asked during cross-examination about various studies. One was about 18 fatal falls - accelerated falls from playground equipment. He said that wasn't relevant in this case because of the acceleration and not in a domestic setting.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.30am Ashurst's evidence

Mr Justice Dove is now going through the evidence given by defendant Ashurst when he was in the witness box. He spent all day there on Monday and was cross-examined on Tuesday morning.

Ashurst spoke about having anxiety and seeking help when he was 24 or 25. He worried about things he didn't need to worry about, like going somewhere new. He started taking medication in 2011.

He worked in factories when he left school and then spent 11 years at Heinz. He met partner Leanne Thompson on a dating website. Their daughter Hollie was born in 2017. She was "as good as gold" and had operations for her cleft lip and palate. He said Hollie was learning to walk and sometimes banged herself on furniture.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.35am

Ashurst went to appointments at Claire House. He confirmed he said he drank four cans of lager per night.

Ashurst said he had started taking cocaine in 2016. It made him feel relaxed and happy for an hour or so. He used it between 9.30pm and 10pm on February 27, when Hollie was in bed and Leanne was going to bed.

He spoke about his finances. He was unemployed but received benefits and was given money by his family, including an inheritance from his father.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.40am

Ashurst spoke about an appointment at Claire House. He was making a claim for benefit PIP. He said he had difficulty going to sleep and may have exaggerated this because of the benefit claim. He said he didn't think he would have said he would struggle if Leanne went back to work. If he did say something like that, the mental health worker would have contacted safeguarding people.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.45am February 28

On February 28, Ashurst drove Leanne to work. Hollie was in the car seat, which Ashurst described to the jury. They went to Asda and because he thought Hollie looked beautiful, he decided to get photographs of her taken. While they were printed, they went to the cafe for breakfast. When they left Asda, they ate chocolate eggs in the car before going home.

While at home, he put Hollie on a bed to change her nappy, went to the bathroom to get something and found she had fallen off the bed when he returned.

Ashurst then went out to see Sarah Jolley about a diet plan. He left Hollie in the car with the engine running and spoke to Sarah in the porch. He decided to visit his mum on the way home but she wasn't in, so he went home.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.50am

Ashurst did jobs around the house and Hollie followed him around on the landing and bedrooms. He went outside to move a wheelie bin and heard Hollie crying when he got back in. He ran upstairs and found her lying face down. She was shaking and her face was flushed. She had a graze on her head. Hollie wasn't acknowleding him and he had a panic attack.

He picked her up and went downstairs, but he caught his shorts pocket on something. He let go of Hollie and she fell. She was lying face-down on the floor.

He picked her up and ran to the car. He put her in a car seat and CCTV footage showed him driving away. The windows were open - he explained there is a function on the car key which would open all the windows.

He said he was driving to the hospital. She fell from the car seat during the journey when he braked at lights. He went to Standish Medical Centre instead for help.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

10.55am

Staff tried to help Hollie, before she was taken to Wigan Infirmary and then Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. Ashurst told the jury he spent more than four hours in a room at the hospital and wasn't given any update on how Hollie was doing.

He was arrested. He can't remember if he told anyone about the two falls in the hospitals because everything happened so quickly. He was told on March 1 that Hollie had died. He made no comment in police interviews on legal advice. "It felt terrible, it was like it was a dream," he said.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

11am

In cross-examination, Ashurst was asked about his finances and the lease of a car. Craig Forshaw had asked to borrow some money and he didn't want to give it to him, so he said he misled him and said he didn't have the money, rather than saying no. Ashurst said he didn't have money worries.

Ashurst was asked about the things he said at Claire House. He said he exaggerated at one appointment because of the PIP claim.

He was also asked about a note that he drank vodka from 3pm until he passed out but didn't get drunk. Ashurst said that didn't make sense and he didn't remember it.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict

 

[HayLouise]

Day 11:

11.05am

Ashurst said he had two baby gates, but they didn't fit and a friend was going to make one.

He described the first fall that he said Hollie had from the bed. Then he told the jury about the fall on the steps, when he was outside moving the bin. He said it didn't cross his mind to call an ambulance. He rushed downstairs, caught his pocket and slipped. They both fell. Hollie was "floppy" at the bottom of the stairs and made a noise like air coming from a balloon.

He put Hollie in the car seat and started driving. He said Hollie fell from the seat and he pulled her through to him as the car was moving. He went to Standish Medical Centre.

Baby Hollie Ashurst murder trial: LIVE updates - jury sent out to consider verdict