THE cot in which a baby died failed national safety standards in three different ways, a crown court jury heard yesterday.

Prosecution technical expert Simon Stokes, of Bureau Veritas, said Oscar Abbey’s bed did not have mandatory safety markings, including the lower age limit for children using it.

On day two of a trial at Leeds Crown Court, John Elvidge QC, prosecuting asked Mr Stokes: “Do you regard the cot that Oscar Abbey was provided with as safe for him?”

“No, definitely not,” replied the expert.

Oscar was seven months old and had only started to use the cot days before he was found dead, trapped by his head in a hole the bed’s front gate, the jury heard on the first day of the trial.

A second baby’s bed, which the prosecution claim was provided by the same man, Craig Williams, to a London family, also did not meet national safety standards, Mr Stokes alleged in court.

Defence barrister Jason Pitter QC, told Mr Stokes: “There is no dispute (the first cot) didn’t meet British standards as you have set out, that is agreed.”

He suggested that there were no compulsory regulations regarding the manufacture of beds. Mr Stokes replied that anyone could make a bed, but if they sold it commercially, it had to comply with the general product safety regulations for all commercially made products.

The prosecution also alleges that Williams had a duty of care to Oscar.

Williams, 37, of Park View Road, Kimberworth near Rotherham, denies Oscar’s manslaughter by gross negligence and fraud by false representation of the second family.

Mr Stokes said he has safety tested baby and child products for more than 20 years.

He said the opening in which Oscar was found was too small, the safety barrier on the bunk above the cot area had openings that a child’s head could be caught in and parts of a child’s body could be trapped in the slide at the bed’s side.

He said the second bed contained U-shapes in which a child could end up hanging from the neck and jaw, its fingers could be caught in another part of the bed and a “cupboard” area with a bolt on the outside was big enough for a child to be locked into.

“Was this a safe bed?” asked Mr Elvidge.

“No, it wasn’t,” replied Mr Stokes.

Earlier, opening the prosecution, Mr Elvidge alleged within days of hearing about Oscar’s death on November 3, 2016, Williams closed down his business Playtime Beds Ltd and set up Magical Dreams Beds Ltd at the same address apparently under the management of his employee Joseph Bruce.

“He tried to hide his involvement,” the barrister alleged. “The defendant used the new company to comply with outstanding orders (of Playtime Beds Ltd) including delivery to a customer in London.”

He was delivering the bed to the London family through Magical Dreams Beds Ltd on November 22 when police with a search warrant arrived at the businesses’ Sheffield address, alleged the prosecution barrister.

He allegedly told them by phone he was working in a care home.

The trial continues.