Babyminding dad on trial for murdering 5-month-old daughter (Glasgow, Scotland)

Dad CRAIG JAMIESON is on trial for the murder of his 5-month-old daughter. Dad was minding the baby while Mum went to class. When she returned home, the baby was "very pale" and "floppy." It was not until Mum got home that an ambulance was called. The baby died of blunt force trauma to the head.

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Page last updated at 18:08 GMT, Tuesday, 9 March 2010

Father denies murdering baby girl

The trial is being heard at the High Court in Glasgow

A man has gone on trial charged with murdering his five-month-old daughter by hitting her on the head and body.

Craig Jamieson, 30, is alleged to have killed daughter Abbie at the home he shared with her mother Nichola Haddock in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow,

Ms Haddock, 29, wept as she told the trial at the city's High Court how the baby girl died in her arms on 8 February 2008.

Mr Jamieson has lodged a special defence incriminating Ms Haddock.

Ms Haddock, who was studying for a BA in child care and social work at Glasgow Caledonian University, told the trial how she was called on her mobile by Mr Jamieson, who told her that Abbie was unwell.

They brought a chair in and sat me down and placed Abbie in my arms. I was told later she had died in my arms

Ms Haddock, who claimed the girl had been fine when she left to go to lectures that morning, arrived home to find Abbie "very pale" and "staring into space" in her chair.

"I called her and she wasn't responding. She was floppy, no life in her", Ms Haddock added.

"When I lifted her I just screamed and Craig phoned an ambulance. I was screaming so much he told me to be quiet he couldn't hear what the operator was saying."

Ms Haddock described how Abbie, who she said had bruises on her body, was taken by ambulance to the intensive care unit at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.

She said: "I was talking to her and singing to her and praying over her. They came in and were turning machines and things off. They brought a chair in and sat me down and placed Abbie in my arms.

"I was told later she had died in my arms."

Denies charges

Ms Haddock said Mr Jamieson told her Abbie had not fallen or been dropped.

She also denied that she had ever punched, kicked or hit her daughter.

She admitted she had been diagnosed with post-natal depression and prescribed anti-depressants, and said that after Mr Jamieson was charged with murder she continued to see him and have sex with him.

When asked why, she replied: "I refused to believe he could have harmed Abbie. I thought it was something medical or something that happened at birth. I thought it was because I didn't do CPR properly."

Mr Jamieson is accused of murdering Abbie by inflicting blunt force trauma to her head and body by means unknown to the prosecutor.

He is also charged with assaulting the baby to her severe injury on 6 January 2008 at their flat in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.

He denies both of the charges against him.

The trial before temporary judge Alastair Stewart continues.