THE jury in the trial of Mark Jones, the Cwmbran man charged with the murder of his granddaughter in 2012, has been told that it must decide the level of importance it attaches to medical opinions on when the baby’s injuries were caused.

Summing up at Newport Crown Court after prosecution and defence cases lasting a total of four weeks, the judge Mr Justice Wyn Williams KT reminded the jury that evidence had been provided by 10 ten medical experts, including pathologists, paediatricians and radiologists.

These included Dr Derek James, the forensic pathologist who carried out a post mortem examination on Amelia Rose Jones on November 20 2012, the day after she died at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

Mr Justice Williams said evidence had been presented on skull, eye, leg and rib injuries sustained by 41-day-old Amelia, who lived with mum Sarah Jones at Waun Hywel, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, and that there was no dispute over their nature and extent.

“Every single doctor told you that timing injuries is not a precise science, but is done based on their experience,” he said.

He added that adding that there was “broad agreement” about the period which within which the injuries were caused.

“It is for you to determine which of those opinions you prefer.”

Concerning micro-fractures to the baby’s legs, medical opinion on their timing varied from five-six days before Amelia’s death to potentially before November 8, 11 days prior to death.

Opinion on upper rib fractures ranged from two-four weeks ahead of death, though there was consensus on their having been caused during one ‘event’.

Judge Williams reminded the jury too, that all of the doctors had ruled out the possibility of the skull and eye injuries sustained by Amelia having happened on Friday November 16 if it was accepted that, as the court had been told, she was behaving normally the following day.

It was the night of Saturday November 17 when Mark Jones – babysitting while Sarah Jones went to the cinema – telephoned her to tell her the baby was not breathing, then telephoned the emergency services.

Mark Jones, aged 45, of no fixed abode address but formerly of Cwmbran, denies murder.

Mr Justice Williams will continue his summing up today.

Proceeding