Prosecution closes case against Workington father on trial for murdering baby Dallas Kelly

Prosecutors have formally closed their case against a Workington man who is on trial for murdering his baby son by the alleged intentional and forceful shaking of him.

Reece Kelly, 31, admits manslaughter, accepting he unlawfully killed four-month-old Dallas Kelly. But he denies murdering the baby, who died in hospital four days after paramedics found him in cardiac arrest at their Workington home.

Dallas’s mum, 23-year-old Georgia Wright, is also on trial. She denies causing or allowing Dallas’s death. The prosecution alleges she “must have known” the risks of leaving Dallas in Reece Kelly’s care.

Both Kelly and Wright further deny child cruelty, with the prosecution alleging they failed to take Dallas to medical appointments, provide adequate parental supervision and care, and exposed him to harmful substances.

On Monday 23 October, it was confirmed that the cause of Dallas’s death was a traumatic head injury and that there was further evidence of six rib fractures.

These fractures were analysed by a consultant musculoskeletal pathologist.

Prosecutor Tim Evans said: “Five of them were found, in his expert opinion, to have been caused three to six days prior to death.

“As death occurred on 19 October 2021, this period included events on 15 October 2021.”

The remaining fracture showed features to indicate that it occurred six to 12 weeks before death.

Mr Evans continued: “There was no evidence found of a presence of any bone weakening diseases and the ribs — apart from the fractures found — appeared histologically normal.”

The jury heard that the defendants’ Workington home was searched three days after Dallas’s death and that drugs and drug-related items were located.

Cannabis grinders, pipes, torn Rizla papers along with scores of blister packs of prescription-only medication — some empty and some containing tablets — were found in downstairs rooms.

58 tablets were found in a small box next to Dallas' playpen.

The defence cases are expecting to begin on Tuesday.

Trial judge Mr Justice Dove told jurors on Monday 23 October they had reached “half-time” in the case. “You still have the other side of the question to hear,” the judge reminded them.

The trial, which is in its second week, continues.

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