Doctors suspected bruises were not accidental, Telford baby murder trial told

But little Oliver Sargent was still discharged the day after his parents Ashlea and Paul Thomas took him in, the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was told.

The married couple are accused of the murder of Oliver, who died on July 31, 2012.

Four days earlier, Paul Thomas had called paramedics to their home in Priory Way, St Georges, Telford, after telling 999 call-handlers they had found him upstairs not breathing.

Scans while in hospital revealed Oliver had injuries including bleeding on the brain and eyes.

X-rays also showed fractures to his skull, ribs and collarbone.

On day two of the couple's trial yesterday, the jury heard from staff at Princess Royal who dealt with Oliver when his parents brought him in a few weeks earlier on June 30, 2012.

Dr Nale Tuncer, who was working as a junior doctor in the children's ward at the time, said his parents told staff he had been vomiting for five days and had a high temperature.

She told the jury Oliver's clothes were "drenched in vomit" and discovered bruises on his back and legs when she stripped him off to examine him.

Dr Tuncer said: "There were several small bruises on his body of various colours, indicating possibly different ages.

"Some were more faded, suggesting older bruising. There were a few on his back and I think there were some on his legs as well."

Dr Tuncer told the jury she asked Ashlea Thomas and Paul Thomas about the bruising but they were unable to provide an explanation.

She added: "Obviously I suspected this might be non-accidental injury, we are taught as junior doctors the signs to look for."

Dr Tuncer said she referred Oliver to senior paediatric doctor, Dr Mian Aslam, who also examined him.

Giving evidence, Dr Aslam said because of a spotty rash on Oliver's neck he believed the tot was suffering from a viral gastric infection.

"But I could not explain the bruises on the back and on the left thigh," he told the court.

"Because there was no history of any injury or explanation given for the bruises, I suspected the possibility of non-accidental injury."

The court heard Oliver was kept in overnight because of the suspicions – but doctors discharged him by late afternoon the following day, saying they had no concerns.

On the day of Oliver's discharge, nurse Andrea Stevens told the court she saw Paul Thomas grab Oliver, who was lying on his back in a cot in the ward at the time, by one arm and one foot and "flipped" him over onto his side.

The builder told Oliver to "go to sleep", Mrs Stevens told the court, and Ashlea Thomas said to him: "Don't do that."

Mrs Stevens told the jury: "I thought it was a bit harsh and inappropriate at the time.

"I just put it down to them both being tired and upset with their son being in hospital, and put it down to anxiousness."

The jury earlier heard from health visitor Patricia Farley, who noticed bruising on Oliver's face during a routine check-up at Oakengates Medical Practice on March 13, 2012.

Ashlea Thomas told her the injuries had been caused by her son "headbanging" and hitting himself with his toys.

When asked if she was happy with the explanations, Mrs Farley said: "I thought they were consistent and plausible.

"As soon as they (babies) start to get mobile they can bruise themselves.

"She (Ashlea Thomas) was open and direct with me, she gave eye contact and she was loving with Oliver."

Mrs Farley claimed such injuries were not unusual.

She said: "About 20 per cent of babies between six months and two years headbang or bang their heads, and boys are three times as likely to do it than girls.

"I have seen it before and it is part of a child's development."

Paul Thomas, 29, a builder, and Ashlea Thomas, formerly Sargent, 20,a nursery nurse, both formerly of Priory Way, St Georges, Telford, but now of Dalford Court, Hollinswood, Telford, both deny murder.

The married couple also deny an alternative charge to murder of causing a child's death by not recognising there was a risk of significant harm by a member of the household between July 27 and July 31, 2012.

Both also face a charge of abusing, ill-treating, abandoning or neglecting Oliver in a manner likely to cause harm between March 12 and July 26, 2012. They deny all charges against them and insist they never harmed Oliver in any way. The trial continues.