A father has gone on trial accused of murdering his baby boy by forcefully and violently shaking the four-month-old, causing a catastrophic injuries, amid a background of drug use inside the family home.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Reece Kelly, 31, was in sole charge of Dallas Kelly after his partner, Georgia Wright — the boy’s mum — left their terraced home in Workington and went to work just before 9am on October 15, 2021.
At 12.22pm, Kelly called 999 and paramedics were on scene within minutes. They found Dallas clothed only in a nappy, lying on his back on the living room floor, and initially performed basic first aid in an ambulance.
Dallas was in cardiac arrest, pale, blue, floppy and not breathing properly. He was taken to hospital in Whitehaven and transported to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary where he tragically died on the evening of October 19.
Today, Kelly admitted manslaughter and that he unlawfully killed Dallas. But he has pleaded not guilty to murder and specifically denies intending to cause his son really serious harm.
A pathologist concluded the cause of Dallas’s death was a traumatic head injury. Tests in the aftermath also showed, the court heard, that Dallas had suffered five rib fractures in the time period covering the alleged intentional shaking.
There were eye and spinal injuries, a brain bleed and fingertip type bruises behind Dallas’s chest. Richard Littler KC, opening the prosecution case, alleged to jurors: “This case is about the intention that Reece Kelly had towards Dallas Kelly when he shook him.
“The prosecution suggest that the injuries sustained by Dallas were so extensive and severe that they can only be explained away by Reece Kelly intending really serious injury.
“He used, the prosecution say, considerable and severe force towards Dallas; squeezing and gripping four-month-old Dallas when he picked him up, and forcefully and vigorously shook him, causing Dallas’s head on his neck to oscillate extensively, backwards and forwards, causing severe head injuries and ultimately death.”
Tests revealed Dallas had otherwise been a perfectly well baby with no natural diseases which could have caused his death. There was, the jury heard, evidence of an additional rib fracture and brain injury caused weeks before the baby’s death.
Georgia Wright, 23, of Workington, denies causing or allowing Dallas’s death, the prosecution alleging that she must have known the risks of leaving her small baby son in the care of Reece Kelly.
Outlining the couple’s lifestyle, Mr Littler told jurors: “The actions of Reece Kelly and Georgia Wright must also viewed through the prism of drug dealing, chronic addiction and a chaotic lifestyle that these two defendants led.”
They slept downstairs on a makeshift bed in the living room with Dallas upstairs and a mobile phone feed set up which gave them access to footage of the tot. Kelly and Wright deny an additional charge alleging child cruelty by failing to take him to medical appointments, provide adequate parental supervision and care, and exposing him to harmful substances.
There was evidence of illegally-sourced prescription drugs and illicit substances, including cocaine in hair samples taken from the pair.
Phone message evidence, said Mr Littler, would show Kelly becoming easily irritated in the days before Dallas’s death.
After saying in one message to a third party I need to get some money, he was advised to sell the crib.
“Up until the 19th October,” said Mr Littler of other texts recovered, “Reece Kelly, you will see, is continuing to score dugs, basically. He is continuing to meet people to obtain money for drugs, continue his drug lifestyle while Dallas is in hospital.”
The prosecutor alleged: “Reece Kelly placed himself and his addiction before anything else, including his own child in hospital.”
Summing up the couple’s alleged child neglect, Mr Littler told jurors: “Drugs came before food.”
Referring to Wright’s response when interviewed by police, the prosecutor said: “Had she been aware of any danger she would have immediately removed her child from the risk and reported the matter.”
The trial, which is expected to last several weeks, continues.
