Mother had sex with murder accused

Published on Wednesday 10 March 2010 21:58

A YOUNG mother yesterday 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, Glasgow, on 8 February, 2008.

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

Ms Haddock told defence QC Ronnie Watson that she and Jamieson continued to meet and have sex despite a bail order that 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 Abbie's death it was discovered she 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 8 February, 2008, before she was rushed to hospital.

It was put to her that Ms Haddock, who was at a lecture at Glasgow Caledonian University 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."

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.

She was then asked by prosecutor Lesley Shand, QC, what she thought when it became clear from the post-mortem report that her daughter had not died of a medical condition, but of inflicted injuries.

She replied: "My daughter had been murdered by her father."

Ms Shand asked Ms Haddock: "Are you responsible for her bruising, rib fracture and fractured skull?"

She replied: "No, I loved her. She was my everything. I never hurt her once."

Earlier, Ms Haddock told the court that Abbie was frequently sick after feeding, wasn't putting on weight, was often constipated and was easily bruised.

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 6 January, 2008 at their flat in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.

He denies both charges. The trial before temporary judge Alastair Stewart continues.

On the anniversary of what would have been Abbie's first birthday in September last year, Ms Haddock and Jamieson released balloons in her memory.