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Clydebank Post

Published: Wednesday, 10th March, 2010 3:05pm

Baby Abbie 'murder' trial

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A YOUNG mum today (Wednesday) admitted she had sex with her former partner after he was charged with murdering their five-month-old daughter.

Nichola Haddock, 29, was giving evidence for a second day at the trial of her former partner Craig Jamieson, who denies murdering their daughter Abbie at the family home in Dumbarton Road, Scotstoun, on February 8, 2008.

Jamieson, 30, of 24 Summerhill Place, Drumchapel, has lodged a special defence of incrimination against Ms Haddock.

On the first day of the trial Ms Haddock, who was studying for a BA in child care and social work at Glasgow Caledonian University, told the High Court in Glasgow that the day Abbie died she was called there on her mobile by Jamieson who said the baby was unwell.

He was looking after Abbie while she was attending lectures and Ms Haddock claimed that when she left that morning her baby daughter was fine.

Ms Haddock said when she arrived home: "Abbie was lying in her chair.

"She was pale very pale. She was staring into space.

"She was floppy. No life in her.

"When I lifted her I just screamed and Craig phoned an ambulance."

Ms Haddock told the court that Abbie was not breathing and there were bruises on her stomach.

She added she "did CPR on her" but was not doing it right at first and had to be talked through the procedure by a 999 operator.

The court heard that Abbie was taken by ambulance to Yorkhill Hospital.

Ms Haddock said medical staff told her Abbie would not live.

When asked by prosecutor Lesley Shand QC: "Did you ask Craig Jamieson what had happened to Abbie?" she replied: "Yes, I asked him if he had dropped her or she had fallen and he said 'no'."

Ms Haddock was then asked if she had ever punched, kicked, hit or thrown her daughter, to which she replied she had not.

She admitted she had been diagnosed with post-natal depression and prescribed anti-depressants.

But referring to the tablets said: "I took them on and off. I didn't feel I had post-natal depression."

On the second day of the trial defence QC Ronnie Watson continued his questioning and Ms Haddock admitted she and Jamieson continued to meet and have sex despite a bail order which banned them from having any contact with each other.

When asked why she had done this, when Jamieson was accused of Abbie's murder, she replied: "I just didn't believe he was guilty of the charges. I stood by him.

"At the time I was 100 per cent sure that Craig was innocent.

"I thought that someone was going to come to me and say it was something medical and what the prosecution was saying wasn't true."

Ms Haddock admitted that hours after Abbie's death she told police that Jamieson was "a loving, doting father".

The jury was told by Mr Watson that after her death it was discovered that Abbie had a skull fracture of "uncertain age".

When asked what she thought could have caused this Ms Haddock said: "A forceps delivery could have caused a fractured skull. I believed it could have been one of the reasons."

The court heard that Abbie also had a fractured rib and Ms Haddock said she thought she might have caused this when she gave her CPR on February 8, 2008 before she was rushed to hospital.

It was put to her that Ms Haddock, who was at a lecture that day, never phoned home to check on her daughter, but Jamieson phoned on numerous occasions.

Mr Watson said to her: "You didn't agree with Craig when he said you should get an ambulance?" and she replied: "I thought she was just sick. She was often sick after her bottle.

"Craig never said she was extremely unwell. I left my class and rushed straight home."

Mr Watson told her that in a police statement she said: "It was just Craig, just Abbie a sickie baby.

"Craig sounded worried, but he always sounded worried."

Ms Haddock broke down in tears at this point.

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 Abbie to her severe injury on January 6, 2008 at their flat in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.

He denies both charges.

The trial before temporary judge Alastair Stewart continues.

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