THE JURY in the trial of a Pembrokeshire man accused of physically and sexually assaulting a baby heard his police interview today, in which he repeatedly denied ever harming the child.

Christopher Phillips, aged 34, of Kiln Park, Burton, is charged with multiple offences after a baby – referred to only as Baby C – was rushed to Glangwili Hospital in the early hours of 24 January 2021 following a 999 call from a flat in Haverfordwest.

The child’s mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is also on trial. She denies allowing the baby to suffer serious physical harm and denies child cruelty.

Multiple injuries of different ages

Earlier in the week, the court heard that an x-ray revealed the baby had suffered a fractured ankle, fractured wrist and six fractured ribs, alongside bruising to his back, neck and chest. A perforated eardrum, swelling and bleeding inside the ear, and reddening and injury to the buttocks were also noted.

Radiologist Professor Amaka Offiah previously told the jury there was “no underlying condition” that would make the child more vulnerable to fractures and said there had been “no explanation proffered” for how the injuries could have occurred.

“These injuries must have been inflicted,” she said.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told the jury that the child’s injuries have since “healed without complication.”

Paediatrician: injuries consistent with “penetrative blunt force trauma”

Today, consultant paediatrician Dr Louise Newbury, who specialises in cases of suspected child sexual abuse, gave detailed evidence.

She told the court that two sets of injuries were present: one likely caused between 12–17 January, and a second sometime between 23 January and the child’s hospital admission.

Her opinion was that the most severe injuries were “most likely caused by penetrative blunt force trauma” to the baby’s anus. She described redness extending from the anus up to the lower back, swelling, and a deep laceration which left “no muscle function at all” at the site of the cut.

The baby also had a testicle injury which Dr Newbury said was caused by either “blunt force trauma” or twisting, occurring sometime between 12–18 January. Bruising had left the scrotum a “dusky purple”.

She told the court the child was in “extreme distress” in hospital and required morphine twice – something she said she had rarely had to administer to a baby of that age in 25 years. Video of the child recorded the day before showed a “very different baby”, making it “very unlikely” the most serious injury occurred before that recording.

Defendant’s police interview read to the jury

This afternoon the jury heard the defendant’s police interview, read aloud by prosecutor Joshua Scouller and DC Jamie Hughes.

Asked directly whether he was responsible for the injuries, Phillips replied: “I’m not, no.”

He told officers he normally saw the baby’s mother around five times a week but preferred to leave her home around 1:00am or 2:00am because he “preferred the comfort” of his own house. He said he was only ever alone with the baby briefly, usually when the mother went to the bathroom.

Phillips described the baby as having been “crying more” that week because of an ear problem and said he had noticed nappy rash and blood in the child’s nappy, but no other injuries.

When questioned about the anal injury, he said he did not accept he had caused it:
“I don’t see how I could have caused the tear from wiping his [bottom]”

Officers asked him whether he had ever accidentally hurt, dropped or assaulted the child.
Phillips replied: “I have never accidentally or deliberately hurt [the baby]… I have never assaulted a child before.”

He also denied causing a head injury after officers asked about a message in which the baby’s mother had asked if he had “bumped” the child’s head. Phillips said he had only struck his own leg on a table while carrying the child and was unaware of any head injury.

The jury has been told that when paramedics were called on 24 January 2021, the baby was distressed, had blood in his nappy and a high temperature. Hospital staff quickly raised concerns of a “non-accidental injury”.

Expert witnesses: who they are

The jury has heard from two senior medical specialists in the fields relevant to the baby’s injuries.

Professor Amaka Offiah is Professor of Paediatric Musculoskeletal Imaging at the University of Sheffield and an Honorary Consultant Radiologist at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. She is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading authorities on assessing skeletal injuries in infants and is a co-author of the national radiology guidelines used in cases of suspected child abuse. Her expertise includes distinguishing accidental fractures from those caused deliberately or through trauma.

Dr Louise Newbury is a Consultant Community Paediatrician and former Clinical Director of GRACE – the specialist child sexual abuse assessment service for south-east Wales. She is one of the clinicians in the UK accredited to the highest level for examinations in suspected child sexual abuse. Her work focuses on evaluating genital and anal injuries in babies and very young children and providing expert evidence to courts.

Both witnesses were asked by Dyfed-Powys Police to review the medical findings in this case and gave their professional assessments to the jury over the past two days.

The trial, prosecuted by Caroline Rees KC, with Tom Crowther KC representing Phillips and John Hipkin KC acting for the mother, continues before Judge Paul Thomas KC.

Proceedings will resume at 10:30am on Friday.