A man accused of murdering a two-year-old has declined the opportunity to give evidence in his defence, a jury hears.
Michael Daymond is accused of inflicting fatal head injuries on Maya Chappell when he was looking after the toddler while her mother was at work.
The 27-year-old’s barrister, Nicholas Lumley KC, told the jury at Teesside Crown Court that his client would not be giving evidence after the conclusion of the prosecution case.
The toddler’s mother is expected to give evidence in her defence tomorrow morning (Friday, November 2).
Jurors heard how Daymond was the only person in their County Durham home when Maya collapsed after suffering unsurvivable injuries consistent with being vigorously shaken.
The defendant denied being responsible for causing the injuries when he was interviewed by detectives following Maya’s death in September last year.
Earlier, jurors heard how Daymond was told that his benefits had been stopped on the day she suffered the fatal injuries.
They were told that his phone records showed that he called the Department of Work and Pensions while paramedics were fighting to save the child’s life in their home in Shotton Colliery.
The medical expert said Maya suffered significant injuries her head, neck and abdomen, moments before she collapsed while in the sole care of Daymond.
"Maya has been subjected to a blunt force assault likely comprising shaking plus or minus a blunt force impact to the head and forceful blows to her abdomen,” she said.
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Dr Mulcahy accepted that some of the injuries could have been caused by accidents or during the time Maya was being treated by paramedics but confirmed that the fatal injury to her head was caused by ‘forceful blows’.
Daymond, formerly of Shotton Colliery, County Durham, has pleaded not guilty to murder and a second charge of cruelty to a child.
Twenty-four-year-old Carr, also formerly of Shotton Colliery, denies child cruelty and allowing the death of a child.
The trial continues.
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