Leiland-James Corkill was 13 months old and in the care of Laura Castle and her husband, Scott, when he died at their home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The couple denies abusing Leiland-James from August 21, 2020, the day he moved in with them, until he was taken to hospital with head injuries on January 6, 2021. He died the next day. Jurors in Preston’s court received text messages from the couple, apparently regretting the adoption a month after his arrival. “It’s an absolute bag that grumbles and I absolutely regret that I did it. “I’ll lose my mind,” Laura, 38, sent to Scott on September 23. He added: “I have to stop slapping him because if I start I will not stop at one point and he will not go anywhere and then I feel bad.” Scott, 34, responded by calling the 13-month-old a “baby bird.” Scott, who worked for BAE Systems in Barrow, denies causing or allowing Leyland-James’ death. Laura pleads guilty to murder but denies murder. He said that the little boy fell from the couch. But one physician concluded that Leiland-James had suffered a non-accidental, head injury, which could have occurred when someone shook him hard. Opening the case on Thursday, the attorney general, Michael Brady, QC, said that Leiland-James was a “strong and resilient child” who had been taken into care at birth on December 21, 2019. She initially lived with foster carers until the Castles were approved as potential adopters, with Leyland-James formally “surrendering” to the couple on Aug. 22 for a trial period. Laura then told a social worker that she did not love Leiland-James, as the jury heard. She said that it was difficult for her to bond with him and that she and her husband felt as if they were “babysitting” him. However, without the knowledge of social services, according to the court, he attacked the little boy within five weeks of his arrival. “I’m skinned him, I can[’t] “Take this one, he must leave,” Laura told Scott in a September 24 message. Scott responded by saying, “You are not an abusive parent, baby. Not at all. Do not say that. I think it’s a little too crazy to handle xc. “It simply came to our notice then. I do not want you to have a mental breakdown. “You are more important to me than him.” A month before Leiland-James died, the Cumbria County Council’s adoption committee agreed not to propose adoption “given the attachment problems,” Brady told the court. The couple said they could not adopt Leiland-James permanently “until further treatment was done”. The night before Leiland-James died, Scott sent a message to Laura saying that the little boy could benefit from “a good hard smack”. Brady told jurors: “It’s the case of the crown set against a backdrop of frustration, born of extremely stressful home conditions, including financial hardship and inability to bond with Leyland-James, Laura Castle-‘s frustration with Layla Castle turned into hostility. “as evidenced by her physical abuse, culminating in his murder.” The case continues. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST
