Jury in trial of man accused of shaking his son death urged to put emotions to one side (From The Northern Echo)
For details on how to contact our editorial and commercial departments, click here
Jury in trial of man accused of shaking his son death urged to put emotions to one side
5:58pm Monday 11th February 2013 in News
By Dani Webb, Chief Reporter (South Durham)
ACCUSED: Lee Clark
THE judge in the trial of a man accused of shaking his own son to death has warned the jury to put all emotions aside.
Judge Peter Coulson urged the eight women and four men to look purely at the evidence when considering whether Lee Clark is guilty of the manslaughter of five-month-old Charlee (CORR) Cameron Clark.
He said: "You may have found it upsetting and it may have made you angry but you must put that aside and clearly and calmly decide on the evidence."
In summing up, he told members of the jury at Newcastle Crown Court today (Monday, February 11) they needed to consider the whole picture and not approach it as two conflicting versions of how the youngster's injuries were caused.
Charlee died in the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), in Newcastle, on March 1, 2011, five days after being admitted to hospital.
His father, Mr Clark, 28, denies the manslaughter of his son at their home in Neville Close, Gainford, County Durham.
Mr Clark's fiancé at the time, Natalie Holmes had left him caring for their baby while she went shopping in Darlington for a new outfit for his christening, which was planned for two days later.
When she left he was his "normal happy self". However, while she was out Mr Clark told her Charlee had refused his bottle, started making a "groaning noise" and had become unresponsive.
Miss Holmes put it down to him missing her but she soon realised something was seriously wrong.
He was rushed to Darlington Memorial Hospital where medical staff found him to have bleeding and swelling in his brain and bleeding behind his eyes. He was then transferred to the RVI.
The trial continues.
More Crime News
- Married Northallerton man who groomed teenage girl walks free from court
- Escape bid foiled when four men were captured in the grounds of Kirklevington Grange open prison
- Conman who swindled a string of women jailed for seven years
- Vandals cause thousands of pounds of damages to Jubilee Wood
- Police operation targets rogue scrap dealers
- Warning of fines over misuse of 999 line
- Plans for multi-million pound secondary school rebuild to be considered
- Cleveland's new assistant chief constable looking forward to writing new chapter for force
- Businessman claimed £22,000 benefits after saying he could barely walk
- Man escapes injury after shed next to house is set alight in suspected arson attack
