A NEIGHBOUR of a mother accused of murdering her four-year-old daughter told a jury how she reported her to Social Services officials because she was angry at constantly seeing the youngster at her bedroom window looking sad.

Leticia Wright died last November from severe wounds to her head and abdomen that were allegedly inflicted by her mother, Sharon Wright, 23, and her then-partner, Peter Seaton, 22, the court has been told.

But Ms Wright, of Almondbury Bank, Moldgreen, Huddersfield, and Mr Seaton, originally from Hartlepool, now of Meadow Lane, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, deny causing them.

Both have pleaded not guilty to murder and an alternative charge of causing or allowing the death of a child.

Neighbours told Bradford Crown Court yesterday how they often saw Leticia at her bedroom window in the house she shared with her mother and Mr Seaton, at Almondbury Bank, Huddersfield.

One, Sharon Dalton, said: "I felt that either the little girl was being left in the house alone and that nobody was coming home until late afternoon or that they (the adults) were sleeping."

She said that one afternoon, Leticia was again in the window dressed in her pyjamas.

She said: "I was so angry that I decided I was going to phone Social Services. I waved at her and she did not wave back, she just looked like she was looking straight through me."

The court also heard from paediatrician Dr Kate Ward, who said Leticia had so many injuries it was almost impossible to count them. She said it was a possibility that Leticia had been sexually abused.

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, has said Leticia died of a wound to the back of the head and a severe injury to the abdomen.

She had also suffered bite marks and cigarette burns.

A social worker who visited Leticia and her mother in response to the neighbours' concerns, said the pair seemed to have normal relationship.

Nicola Stephenson, from Kirklees Council's child protection unit, agreed with Ms Wright's barrister, Julian Goose QC, that during her one-hour visit, Leticia was openly affectionate to her mother.

She noticed no injuries to her legs, arms or face, and checks were made to ensure Leticia was attending a nursery.

She was reassurred by Ms Wright that she was trying to get Leticia registered with a doctor, and Ms Wright was then told that the council would take no further action.

The jury have been told Leticia only attended nursery for a week and was never registered with a doctor.

The trial will continue on Monday.