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

[CoverMeCagney]

Ugh. Some of that, specifically the emotionlessness, and the driving around instead of going straight to hospital, made me wonder about the possibility of some learning difficulty or mental condition that means she can't fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation. I don't like to believe that people can be so evil, so tend to try to find alternative explanations, rather than jumping straight to callous murder. But the whole of the timeline makes me think that's not that plausible an explanation for her behaviour, and certainly not for the deaths of her children

Honestly I think she just has a severe case of selfishitis

 

[Tortoise]

10:34
Day two
The first evidence in the case will be heard today following the prosecution’s opening earlier this week.

Prosecutor Olive Saxby QC told the jury that Lexi Draper and Scarlett Vaughan had died of “deliberate airway obstruction” at the beginning of 2018.

The sisters died within 18 days of each other.

You can read the full opening here

10:36
Mum in courtroom
Louise Porton has now entered the courtroom and is swiftly followed by the judge.

Discussions are taking place between Judge Amanda Yip and the barristers in the case before the jury are brought in.

10:48
First witness
The jury is now in court and we are about to hear from the first witness in the case - a lady called Leigh-Anne Bradley.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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10:53
Relationship to defendant
Miss Bradley has known Louise Porton’s mother for some years and through that relationship, Porton rented a property owned by Miss Bradley in Willenhall, near Walsall.

She tells the court that Porton moved in to the property in August 2016 and was there until November 2017.

Miss Bradley says she “became friends” with Porton and would sometimes look after the children. She said this could happen just once a week or up to four times a week.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:04
Witness: Mum "rarely" had children while chasing modelling career
The court hears that Miss Bradley would sometimes have the children “all day” and in the evenings.

She says that other people would also look after Lexi and Scarlett, as well as her, while Porton was out at job interviews, out shopping or “at photo shoots for a modelling career that she was building”.

Miss Bradley says that by the end of the time that she and Porton were friends - as they eventually fell out - Porton “rarely” had her own children.

11:07
Witness: Mum swore in front of children
Oliver Saxby, for the prosecution, asks about Porton’s attitude towards her children.

Miss Bradley replies: “If they were crying or playing up or not doing what she asked them to do she would become quite agitated and frustrated and start swearing.”

When asked for an example of Porton’s swearing, the witness says that Porton once told the children to “‘shut the f*** up’ or she’ll give them something to cry for”.

11:09
Witness: Mum "grabbed" daughter by ankle
The court is told that on one occasion Lexi was having a “temper tantrum” and Porton “picked her up by one arm and told her to ‘get the f*** up off the floor’”.

Describing another occasion, Miss Bradley says that Scarlett went to crawl out of an open door to the back garden and Porton “grabbed Scarlett by the ankle and pulled her back telling her ‘no’”.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:11
Defence questions witness
Miss Bradley is now being cross-examined by the defence, Andrew Smith QC.

He asks if the main reason she would look after Lexi and Scarlett would be while Porton was shopping.

The witness agrees.

Mr Smith says that Miss Bradley would “typically” have the children for a couple of hours.

She replies: “It could be an hour or two to all day. Depends on what Louise was doing at the time.”

Under questioning, she tells the jury she had the children all day on up to three occasions.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:23
Witness: Mum was "shy" but showed "aggression"
Mr Smith asks if Porton was someone who would “swear at all” and Miss Bradley says she would swear “when angry”, but describes her as “timid” and “shy”.

Mr Smith states: “She (Porton) didn’t show aggression to the children at all.”

Miss Bradley says: “Yes she did.”

Mr Smith: “She never held them inappropriately.”

Miss Bradley: “Yes she did.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:25
Witness: No concerns over children's appearance
The court hears that there was a dispute between Miss Bradley and Porton over the property and Mr Smith asks if that has led to her being “more critical” of Porton in court.

The witness replies: “Being her landlord is completely different to being her friend. It’s two completely different relationships.”

Mr Smith asks if Miss Bradley ever had any worries over the children’s appearance. She says she did not.

That ends her evidence.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:26
Next witness was housing officer
The next witness in the case is Suzanne Lee, who is being questioned by Nina Ellin for the prosecution.

The witness was a housing officer for Rugby Borough Council who first met Porton in September 2017 and the jury hears that Porton was set to move in to the Parkside Guest House in November 2017, which she did.

On January 9, 2018, Mrs Lee gave Porton keys to a property in Beechwood Court that she was moving in to.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:28
Witness: Mum was "emotionless"
Mrs Lee says she became aware that Lexi and Scarlett had died in early February 2018 and then had a meeting with Porton on February 5 about accommodation.

Speaking of Porton that day, she says she was “emotionless”, adding: “I can’t really describe it. Having just been through the traumatic time that had taken place - myself being a parent and an officer in housing - it just felt emotionless giving the occasion that had just taken place.”

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

[Tortoise]

I wonder why she moved into a hotel on Jan 29th, having moved into her new accommodation on January 9th.

 

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11:38
Witness: "It was like someone had lost their goldfish"
The court hears that Mrs Lee spoke to Porton about what she wanted to happen to her children’s belongings following their deaths.

The witness says: “She (Porton) yawned and said ‘I don’t mind’. I was quiet gobsmacked at the reaction.”

At a later date Porton returned some keys to Mrs Lee and she again says Porton showed “no emotion” and described it as “like someone had lost their goldfish”.

Court LIVE: Mum on trial accused of murdering daughters

 

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11:46
Mum never displayed "any emotion"
Mr Smith, for Porton, asks if Mrs Lee would describe the defendant as “reserved”.

She answers: “I don’t know if I would use that word. She’s a very difficult character to describe.”

Turning to their meeting on February 5, 2018, Mr Smith says that Porton said she would deal with items inside the property. Mrs Lee agrees.

Mr Smith says that Porton never “really displayed any emotion” to Mrs Lee.

The witness agrees and that ends her evidence.

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

 

[Legally Bland]

I wonder why she moved into a hotel on Jan 29th, having moved into her new accommodation on January 9th.

I thought it was probably temporary/ emergency accommodation from the council, but obviously not. I did look up the hotel and it didn't really seem that sort of place.

https://www.therugbyhotel.co.uk/

 

[Tortoise]

I thought it was probably temporary/ emergency accommodation from the council, but obviously not. I did look up the hotel and it didn't really seem that sort of place.

https://www.therugbyhotel.co.uk/

Looks smart.

I'm confused because she moved into a guest house in November, then into Beechwood Court on 9th Jan, then into the hotel on 29th Jan and then had a meeting about new accommodation on 5th Feb. The last meeting I can understand because she no longer had her kids to accommodate.

 

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11:54
Police witness
The next witness is Detective Constable Julie Timerick, from Warwickshire Police, who will help guide the jury through the timetable in the case.

The timetable includes important dates, messages from mobile phones, CCTV images and other information.

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

 

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12:01
Messages: Mum left kids alone while "having sex" in van
Det Con Timerick is first guiding the jury through some messages on Porton’s phone.

They include ones which sees Porton speak of leaving her children alone while she visits a nearby shop and then another where she speaks of the children “being naughty so had a few smacks”.

In other messages from a later date, Porton and her sister Karen speak about Porton leaving the children alone while having sex with a man in a van.

In the messages, Porton states: “They were asleep in the room. Went to the van and then in to my room.”

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

 

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12:07
Sister: “Your kids have got to come first"
During another exchange between Porton and her sister, Karen said: “So you will just leave them to go f*** lads.”

Porton: “Was only one time. Know it was wrong that’s why I refused him last night.”

Karen: “You’ve probably left them a few times. You are forever lying to me.”

Later on, Karen tells Porton: “Your kids have got to come first.”

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

 

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12:14
Mum's sexual images to men she met on dating site
The court is now being taken through messages between Porton and a number of men through a dating site called ‘Meet me’.

They include talk about meeting up and having sex, while “sexual images” were also sent by Porton.

These were sent on January 1, 2018.

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

 

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12:19
Mum paid for "sexual" videos
Also in early January 2018, Porton was involved in a prolonged conversation with a photographer about pictures and videos of a sexual nature that Porton was being paid for.

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths

 

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12:25
111 calls
On the evening of January 2, 2018, Porton told her sister Karen that she thought Lexi had suffered “a fit” and was waiting for a call back from 111.

A message stating this was sent before Porton had first called 111, according to the timeline being given in court.

The jury is now listening to the 111 calls made by Porton after 9pm on January 2.

Court LIVE: Accused mum 'acted like she'd lost goldfish' after daughters' deaths