Jurors in the trial of a dad accused of causing or allowing the death of his daughter have been discharged.
Five women and six men considering the case of Lee Davison, 28, of Ashleigh Avenue, Pontefract, were released yesterday. (Feb 13)
Mr Justice MacDuff discharged the jury at a hearing held in private on the fourth day of their deliberations following a four-week trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Davison will return to the court tomorrow where his case is listed for further mention.
His partner, Jessica Hopkinson, 19, was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of her baby, Kristal, on Monday.
The jury returned their verdict for Hopkinson on the second day of deliberations. The court has heard how the seven-week-old infant suffered “catastrophic” injuries before she died.
Hopkinson was granted conditional bail and is also due to appear at a hearing tomorrow.
Kristal died in hospital hours after paramedics were called to the couple’s home on Ashleigh Avenue, Pontefract, on April 12 last year.
The cause of death was found to be from the effects of head injury.
A post mortem revealed she had suffered episodes of trauma during previous weeks.
Kristal had suffered injuries to her brain, skull, and leg and there were eight healing rib fractures discovered when her body was examined.
It was the opinion of a pathologist that the brain injuries were the result of violent shaking and damage to the skull was from blunt force.
Hopkinson and Davison were arrested after the death and both initially denied knowing how Kristal could have been harmed. They later gave details to the police blaming each other. Hopkinson gave evidence at the trial, telling the jury she suspected her partner had hurt the youngster after she was taken to hospital.
Davison told the court he saw the child’s mother “slam” her into a changing mat two days before she died.