GUILTY UK - Lexi Draper, 3, & Scarlett Vaughan, 16 mos, murdered, Skiddaw, Rugby, Jan/Feb 2018 *GUILTY*

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This is the first picture of a mother who has been charged with murdering her two young daughters after they mysteriously died within weeks of each other.

Louise Porton, 22, of Skiddaw, Rugby, appeared at Leamington Magistrates' Court this morning and is accused of killing Lexi Draper, three, and 16-month-old Scarlett Vaughan.

Lexi was found dead at home in the early hours of 15 January last year after reports she was unconscious.

A fortnight later on 1 February, her little sister Scarlett died after falling ill at home.

Mother, 22, from Skiddaw, Rugby, charged with murdering her two daughters | Daily Mail Online

 

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A Warwickshire Police statement said: "Three-year-old Lexi Draper died in January 2018.

"She was pronounced dead by paramedics after they received a report she had been found unconscious at her home in Rugby in the early hours of 15 January 2018.

"Scarlett Vaughan, aged 16 months, died on the night of 1 February 2018.

"She was pronounced dead in hospital after being taken there by paramedics who responded to a report she had fallen ill.

"Following an investigation by the Warwickshire Police Major Investigation Unit, a file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and today (Friday 25 January) the decision was taken to charge Porton with murdering Lexi and Scarlett.

"She will appear at Leamington Magistrates' Court tomorrow morning (Saturday 26 January)."

Mum, 22, charged with murder after deaths of two daughters

 

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Wearing a white cardigan and grey bottoms, Porton today spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth and address, during the two-minute hearing.

Porton, from Rugby, Warwickshire, was remanded into custody and will appear via video link for her next appearance at Warwick Crown Court on Tuesday.

First picture of mum accused of killing daughters, 3, and 16 months old

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Porton's facebook

Louise Porton

 

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Judge Andrew Lockhart QC told the defendant: 'Ms Porton, you'll be tried in Birmingham, starting on July 8.

'If that date is to move, you will hear through your lawyers.

'Your case will be listed for a further hearing on March 4, when you will be before the court and required to plead not guilty or guilty to the indictment.'

He added: 'You're remanded into custody; go with the officer, please.'

Part-time model, 22, accused of murdering her two young daughters to go on trial in July | Daily Mail Online

 

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09:59
Updates from court
Good morning and welcome to our coverage from Birmingham Crown Court this morning.

Louise Porton is listed in Court 1 where she will appear before the Recorder of Birmingham.

She is currently in custody having been remanded into custody at the last hearing on January 29.

We will bring live updates from court this morning when the case is called on.


10:12
What will happen in court today?
Once the case is called on, Louise Porton will be asked to enter pleas to the charges on the indictment.

Those are two charges of murder against her two children Scarlett and Lexi in January and February last year.

If a plea of guilty is entered, a date will be set for sentencing, if a plea of not guilty is entered, a timetable will be set down for the trial and any hearings which need to take place before any trial.

10:24
Case listings
Our crime reporter Ben Eccleston is now in court 1 in Birmingham ahead of this morning’s hearing.

He will bring you live updates as they happen.

The case is listed for around 10:30, however there is also another case to be heard on the list which could be called on first.

10:31
Legal representatives
Once Louise Porton’s case is called on, she will be represented in court by Peter Cooper, while Oliver Saxby will be speaking for the Crown Prosecution Service.

The case will be overseen by Judge Melbourne Inman, the Recorder of Birmingham.

10:55
What is this case about?
Louise Porton faces two charges of murder in relation to her two daughters.

Paramedics pronounced three-year-old Lexi Draper dead at the family home in Skiddaw, Rugby, on January 15, 2018.

They had been told she had been found unconscious, according to a statement from Warwickshire Police.

Her baby sister Scarlett Vaughan was just 16-months-old when she died two weeks later on the night of February 1.

She was pronounced dead in hospital after being taken there by paramedics after falling ill.
LIVE: Mum in court accused of murdering her two children

 

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12:51
Case called on
The case of Louise Porton has now been called on in court 1.

LIVE: Mum in court accused of murdering her two children

 

[Sprockett7701]

Grrr...latest update.

 

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12:59KEY EVENT
Defendant in the dock
Porton has now entered the dock at the rear of the courtroom wearing dark trousers, a black and white top, and a white cardigan.

The hearing is now underway.

13:00
Charges put to Louise Porton
The two charges of murder are now being put to Porton.

She has denied both charges and entered not guilty pleas.

LIVE: Mum in court accused of murdering her two children

 

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13:02
Trial timetable
Discussions are now underway with regard to the trial date and the length of the trial.

Oliver Saxby, for the prosecution, says there are problems around the initial date put forward for the trial to begin in July.

Mr Saxby suggests that the trial date will need to be brought forward in to June.

 

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13:10
Earlier trial
Judge Inman agrees that the trial will be best served by being brought forward and says that a high court judge would oversee the murder trial, which would have to be finished by July 31 at the latest.

Peter Cooper, representing Porton, says he is “confident” that if the date is brought forward slightly then the trial could be completed within four weeks.

 

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13:13
Window of opportunity
There is talk that if a suitable date cannot be found in June or July, then the trial would have to be put off until October.

 

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13:18KEY EVENT
Reason for timetable issues
The court hears that Louise Porton is currently pregnant.

 

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13:21
Trial date fixed
Judge Inman says that it is “important that this trial is heard quickly” and says that an adjournment until later in the year “would not be in the defendant’s interests or anyone else’s”.

He has provisionally fixed the date for the trial as June 24.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

13:18KEY EVENT
Reason for timetable issues
The court hears that Louise Porton is currently pregnant.

OMG!

 

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13:26
Expert witnesses
The barristers and the judge are now having discussions around expert witnesses who will be needed in the trial.

13:29
Pre-trial hearing
There will be a further hearing in the case in mid-May to iron out any problems ahead of the trial.

 

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13:31
Possible bail application
Mr Cooper says that a bail application for Porton is likely to be made at a later date.

13:33
Hearing ends
Judge Inman tells Porton that her trial will begin on June 24 this year.

For now she will be remanded in custody.

Porton has now been taken back down to the cells and the hearing has ended.

 

[Sprockett7701]

Bail?!?

Sitting on my hands moo

 

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Bail?!?

Sitting on my hands moo

I don't think she would get it, not unless it's to go to hospital and give birth and return after her recovery. Surely they wouldn't leave a newborn in her care with these charges laid against her, so I don't see why she should get an extended bail.

I'm guessing her baby is due in August or September, so the trial will be over by then.

 

[Legally Bland]

I guess this happened on Monday (I totally read this wrong at first and thought it was the father of LP's daughters):
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The father of murder accused Louise Porton was forced to explain himself to a judge after taking courtroom photos of his daughter sitting in the dock.

[...]

The 50-year-old, from Walsall, was brought back into court after his mobile phone was handed to Judge Melbourne Inman during his daughter's appearance in the dock on two counts of murder.

[...]

Opting to impose no punishment on Mr Parsons, the judge told him: "Everybody knows you can't take photographs in a court building.

"I am satisfied that you have not acted through any malicious wish and that this was just an extraordinarily stupid thing to do."

Dad of mum accused of killing her kids takes illegal court pics