THE Gwent man accused of murdering his six-week-old granddaughter told a doctor she hit her head on the floor, after slipping from his hands while he was preparing her bottle feed.
Giving evidence at the trial of Mark Jones, aged 45, of no fixed abode - who is accused of the murder of Amelia Rose Jones, who died in November 2012 - Dr Stephanie Coakley said she examined him after he was referred to hospital by a police custody nurse following his arrest.
The examination took place at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr at 12.30am on November 20 2012, five hours after Jones had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
She described him in her notes, written up shortly after the examination, as having been "upset and very tearful" and it had been difficult to get much out of him.
But she added that Jones told her 'he was babysitting his granddaughter on Saturday (November 17 2012). He was holding her while making her a bottle. While shaking it she slipped from his hands and hit her head on the floor. Taken to hospital. Ventilator switched off today.'
Dr Coakley told Newport Crown Court she wrote up her note of the examination 20 to 30 minutes after it took place and had recorded it accurately.
She had not noted what Jones said as a direct quote in full speech marks, but told the court: "I don't think it was a word for word account, but it would be what I was told."
The court was also told yesterday of how Jones was arrested at his then home in Govilon Place, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, at around 7.30pm on Monday November 19 2012, just hours after Amelia Rose Jones was pronounced dead at the University Hospital of Wales in Cwmbran.
Sergeant Andrew Elias, of Gwent Police, custody sergeant at Ystrad Mynach police station, where Jones was taken, told the court the defendant had answered "no" when asked if he had any injuries or illnesses, but had said he felt "shocked."
He was referred by Sergeant Elias to custody nurse Louise Price, who told the court Jones had been "shocked, nauseous, clammy and confused" and she recommended he be taken for a hospital check-up.
Proceeding
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