Woman accused of murder accepts one-year-old died because of her actions, court hears

Leiland-James Corkill was taken into care shortly after he way born.

A woman accused of murdering a one-year-old child she was trying to adopt has told a court she accepts he died because of her actions. 

Leiland-James Corkill, who was originally from Whitehaven, died in January last year in Barrow after suffering catastrophic head injuries.

At Preston Crown Court, Laura Castle admitted shaking him violently, during which his head struck the arm of the sofa. She told the court she was trying to feed him at the time and was frustrated by his crying. 

She said: "I was so tired and drained and overwhelmed and couldn't take so much noise. I just wanted him to stop crying. I was just at the end of my rope."

She denies murder and two child cruelty offences, but admits manslaughter. Her husband, Scott, denies causing or allowing Leiland-James' death. 

Accepting her part in his death, Castle told the court: "I think about that every second of the day and regret what I have done." 

In a tearful exchange, she admitted initially lying to doctors, the police, her family and husband about what had happened. She said it was for "selfish reasons" and added: "I was responsible and I was ashamed. If I could change it, if I could take it back, I would do that in a second." 

She added: "I accept my child is dead because of me, I accept that." 

The prosecution suggested Castle had known she was hurting Leiland-James during the incident that led to his death, on 6 January 2021.

She replied: "I wasn't thinking about that. I wasn't thinking he was going to die." 

"You wanted to cause him some really serious injury" said prosecution barrister Michael Brady QC. 

"No," she replied. 

Castle initially claimed Leiland-James fell off the sofa at her home in Barrow-in-Furness in January 2021.

Medics treating the child raised the alarm when they found his catastrophic head injuries did not match her story.

The 38-year-old continued to maintain his death was an accident until the eve of her trial when she admitted manslaughter.

Leiland-James was taken into care shortly after he was born. He was then approved by authorities to live with Castle and her husband from August 2020.

The trial is continuing.