A stepfather accused of murdering a 10-month-old told jurors he “didn’t see anything” that could have caused broken ribs or a deadly internal injury in the final week of the baby’s life.
Craig Crouch also denied lying to police when he said his partner’s son Jacob seemed normal in the days before he found his cold and lifeless body on the morning of December 30 2020.
Prosecutors allege Crouch and Jacob’s mother, Gemma Barton, worked together to abuse and murder her son, who had numerous bruises, broken ribs and a perforated bowel when he died.
Under cross-examination from prosecutor Mary Prior KC at Derby Crown Court, Crouch said he “physically couldn’t work out” where blood-staining found on a Moses basket sheet had come from in May 2020.
Crouch was taken through numerous photographs and videos during the final day of his evidence to the court on Tuesday, including footage of him “dunking” Jacob in a paddling pool, which he denied was a bid to stop him crying.
“If I was doing wrong or mistreating him, I wouldn’t be recording it,” he told the jury.
Invited to comment on an image sent to him by Barton in August 2020 which showed a “nasty bruise” to Jacob’s right ear, Crouch said he was told it was the result of him “face-planting” on the floor.
Crouch sent a message to Barton in September 2020 telling her she needed to be “more regimental” with her then seven-month-old son and should “smack his hand” if he cried for no reason, the court was told.
This has nothing to do with me— Defendant Craig Crouch
Ms Prior showed Crouch a picture from the same month of what appeared to be pinch marks to both of Jacob’s thighs.
He said: “This has nothing to do with me.”
Asked who squeezed Jacob so hard his ribs were broken more than once, Crouch said: “It wasn’t me and in front of me I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anyone do anything to hurt him.
“He never gave us any reason to think that he was in pain.”
Ms Prior told Crouch: “This is your opportunity to tell the jury what happened to this baby in the last week of his life.”
Looking back at it now, putting everything on the table, yes, I wish I had noticed something— Defendant Craig Crouch
Crouch said: “That’s what I am trying to do. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Jacob seemed to go to bed OK.
“Looking back at it now, putting everything on the table, yes, I wish I had noticed something.”
Asked if he or Barton kicked, punched or stood on Jacob with such force that he suffered a damaged ligament and perforated bowel, the 39-year-old said: “I can only repeat what I have already said: it wasn’t me.”
All the way through this, when I have looked for answers I have not found them. I stayed with Gemma because the very deepest part of my heart was telling me she couldn't have done anything to that boy— Defendant Craig Crouch
Denying that Jacob “screamed like he had never screamed before” and cried for most of the night after being injured, Crouch said: “I don’t remember any crying.”
Ms Prior asked: “This little boy in the last week of his life must have suffered extreme pain on at least three separate occasions. You didn’t see it?”
Crouch said: “I didn’t see anything that caused it. Pictures and video show a very different child.”
Denying working with Barton to hurt her son and cover up what they had done, Crouch said: “If I could go back, I would have pushed harder (for information).
“I didn’t see Jacob in any distress.
“All the way through this, when I have looked for answers I have not found them. I stayed with Gemma because the very deepest part of my heart was telling me she couldn’t have done anything to that boy.
This little boy in the last week of his life must have suffered extreme pain on at least three separate occasions— Prosecutor Mary Prior KC
“That boy was a very happy boy in my eyes.”
Responding to Ms Prior’s suggestion Jacob was “killed savagely and brutally” after months of being “abused savagely and brutally”, Crouch said: “That’s your opinion – that’s not what I saw.”
Jacob suffered regular abuse and a “culture of cruelty” which ultimately led to him dying “in his cot, alone” at his home in Foxley Chase, Linton, prosecutors told the jury previously.
Barton, 33, of Ray Street, Heanor, Derbyshire, and Crouch, of Donisthorpe Lane, Moira, Swadlincote, deny murder, causing or allowing the death of a child, causing a child to suffer serious physical harm and three counts of child cruelty.
The trial continues.
