Christina Robinson trial: Bruises formed Z shape in two places on Dwelaniyah's body, court told

A three-year-old boy who died of a major head injury had at least 19 bruises on his body, caused by “blows from a long thin weapon”.

In two instances, those injuries on the body of Dwelaniyah Robinson were grouped together with three bruises forming a Z shape, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Dwelaniyah's mother Christina Robinson is accused of causing a fatal head injury to her son by violently shaking him at the family home in Bracken Court, Ushaw Moor, Durham, in November 2022.

The 30-year-old is also accused of deliberately scalding his legs and buttocks and hitting him with a bamboo cane in the weeks before.

The defendant, who is originally from Tamworth, Staffordshire, denies murder and a child cruelty charge.

She claimed Dwelaniyah choked while eating a cheese bap, but Dr Cooper said that did not account for the head injuries he observed during the post-mortem examination.

Bodyworn footage from Durham Police captures the moments after officers arrived at the home of Christina Robinson

Speaking of the bruises on Dwelaniyah's body, Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper, told the court on Thursday (7 March) that he wondered “whether [the shape of a Z] was deliberate”.

The court was told Dwelaniyah had 10 bruises to the front of his body, one to his back, and “at least” eight to his right shin.

The court was also told that Dwelaniyah had suffered 20% burns to his body, which contributed to his death.

Dr Cooper described the burns as “extremely debilitating, extremely painful” and meant “he wasn’t a fit healthy three-year-old” at the time he received the major head injury.

“It’s likely he would have died anyway,” said Dr Cooper, who added that without the burns “he would have been in a better position to withstand the head injury”.

Newcastle Crown Court has previously heard Robinson claims she was allowed to chastise the little boy according to the teachings of the Bible.

Robinson claimed her son was injured by hot water when he was playing in the shower, although the prosecution disputes that, saying he was deliberately scalded on his legs and buttocks.

She did not seek medical help for the burns, treating his injuries herself, the jury has heard.

Dr Cooper said Dwelaniyah’s cause of death was a head injury and infected burns.

The defendant contacted the emergency services on November 5 2022, claiming her son had stopped breathing after “his eyes went all weird” while he was eating.

Durham Police have released the 999 call Christina Robinson made after her son stopped breathing

Paramedics worked on him before taking Dwelaniyah, whose heart had stopped, to hospital but he could not be saved.

The jury has been told Robinson was having an affair with a man she met on a dating site and had got pregnant using a separate sperm donor.

Her husband was away working for the RAF at the time of their son’s death, the court has heard.

The trial continues.

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