A GRANDFATHER accused of murder did not tell his daughter he had dropped his granddaughter for fear she would "never trust him again", a court heard.
A jury at Newport Crown Court yesterday heard police interviews with Mark Jones, aged 45, who is standing trial for the murder of his granddaughter baby Amelia Rose Jones, who died aged 41 days on November 19, 2012.
Jones denies the charge.
During his first police interview on November 20, 2012 Jones, of no fixed address, told officers how he was babysitting his granddaughter on Friday, November 16, 2012. when he tripped over a Pingu penguin toy on the living room floor while carrying her, causing her to fall on to the floor.
Jones told police he hadn't heard her cry like that before when he dropped her.
But he said she seemed "normal" and "fine" after the fall and said when he checked her over he could not see any cuts.
The court heard how Jones decided not to tell his daughter about dropping the baby as she "would never trust (him) again to look after her. "
During the interview, he told police he had not been drinking anything but coffee and had not left the house while he was looking after the children.
He told police that Amelia had been unwell previously with a cold and had been admitted to hospital for it and that Amelia's heart had stopped while in hospital.
The jury at Newport Crown Court heard yesterday that when Jones looked after the baby the following night, on Saturday, November 17, 2012, he noticed she had stopped breathing.
He told police that he had called his daughter who told him to call an ambulance and attempted to resuscitate her though chest compressions and mouth to mouth until paramedics arrived.
Dr Marcus Likeman, giving evidence yesterday, said a CT scan showed widespread bleeding around her brain which he believed could have been caused by shaking and impact.
The court was previously told this week 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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