A MEDICAL expert has told a murder trial jury that injuries suffered by a toddler nearly 50 years ago were consistent with him being swung against a fireplace.

But the neurosurgeon admitted his "preferred" explanation was no more than "informed speculation" and the cause of death could have been a fall from a bed.

David Dearlove, 71, denies killing his stepson Paul Booth at the home he shared with the boy's mother and two siblings in Haverton Hill, near Stockton, in 1968.

He says the little boy collapsed after falling out of bed, but also suggested in a police interview that he simply stopped breathing while sitting in a chair.

Peter Richards, who specialised in childhood brain injuries from 1995 until he retired this year, dismissed the prospect of a "seemingly spontaneous collapse".

Defence barrister, Tim Roberts, QC, said they no longer suggest such a scenario, and put it down to Mr Dearlove's "memory problems" in the 2015 interview.

Paul's brother Peter sparked a murder inquiry when he told police he remembered seeing Mr Dearlove swinging the toddler by his ankles against the fireplace.

Mr Richards said a roll from a bed 27 inches from the floor was "an unlikely scenario" for causing the fractured skull of the 19-month-old.

But under cross-examination from Mr Roberts, he admitted that if the toddler had been standing when he fell – a distance of 56 inches – it would be more likely.

Mr Roberts asked: "Would you agree it is complete speculation to envisage how Paul fell from the bed?". Mr Richards said: "It would be on my part."

He added: "This was an unwitnessed fall." The QC said: "So we cannot prove one way or another what caused the fall." Mr Richards replied, simply: "Correct."

Earlier, the jury heard that Mr Richards studied photographs, witness statements, the post-mortem examination and interviews from the time to compile his report.

He told prosecutor Richard Wright, QC, that he based his findings on his experience of his clinical practice, and medico-legal cases where he had been asked to give his opinion.

"Few children who fall from bed required hospital treatment," he said.

"When they do go, it is very rare that they have any significant injury," he added. "It is very rare that they will die.

"I would not use the term impossible, there will have been some unfortunate children in the world where this has happened - the

statistics indicate this is incredibly rare."

Mr Richards told the jury on the fifth day of the trial at Teesside Crown Court that he had known of a child die from falling from the top

level of a bunk bed.

He had also experienced in his career seeing a child who required

intensive care treatment after being swung against furniture.

Hartlepool-born former ICI worker Mr Dearlove, now living in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, denies murder, manslaughter and child cruelty offences.

The trial continues.