Dad accused of killing baby son ‘prioritised playing PlayStation games over looking after infant’, court hears
A DAD has been accused of killing his baby son after he ‘prioritised playing PlayStation over looking after the infant’, a court heard.
One-month-old Ollie was found with a snapped neck and 37 broken bones he had endured in the 10 days of suffering before his death, on October 21, 2017, Leicester Crown Court heard today.
His father Michael Davis, 29, appeared in court on trial after denying charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, and causing or allowing the death of a child and murder.
Ollie’s mum Kayleigh Driver, 31, also of Carlisle Street, West End, Leicester, is on trial alongside him after denying the same charges.
Prosecutor Jonas Hankin KC asked Davis on the witness stand if he was prepared for fatherhood, after the jury were told the pregnancy had been unplanned.
Davis told the court: “I wouldn’t say I wasn’t prepared, but it wasn’t a planned pregnancy.”
Mr Hankin added: “Do you think you had realistic expectations about the amount of care and attention a young baby needs?”
To which Davis said that he did not.
The court heard how Davis was employed at a Specsavers five days a week and looked after Ollie through the night, while Kayleigh slept.
The defendant also told the jury much of his time was taken up with playing games such as Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed on his PlayStation 4.
He would play these videogames, as well as others on his mobile, and watch T.V throughout the night, the court heard.
Mr Hankin told Davis he was “taking every opportunity” to play his PlayStation, the jury heard.
Davis said: “I would go on when I could, but that doesn’t mean I prioritised it.”
Mr Hankin said: “You took the first opportunity when your baby’s asleep and your girlfriend’s asleep to get on your Playstation.
“That’s your priority, isn’t it?”
Davis denied the allegation.
The prosecutor then asked if the dad found it “frustrating” when his baby would wake up through the night, which Davis also denied.
The court heard from Mr Hankin that medical evidence suggested the infant would have been distressed in the days leading up to his death due to “many bone fractures”.
Medical evidence stated Ollie had 23 rib fractures and brain damage, which were allegedly inflicted 10 days before he died in Upper Temple Walk, Beaumont Leys, Leicester.
“We know that Ollie had, by this time, sustained many bone fractures, so when you were handling him for feeding and changing he would have been crying, wouldn’t he?” Mr Hankin questioned the defendant.
Davis told jurors he only noticed Ollie crying for food or when his nappy needed changing.
No one living at the address where Ollie was injured, said they noticed any distress ahead of his death.
The trial continues.