The tragic timeline of events leading to the death of Barrow baby Leiland Corkill emerged from day one of his alleged killers' trial - during which their version of events changed during police interviews.

Laura Castle stands accused of the murder of 13-month-old Leiland, while her husband Scott Castle, 34, faces charges of causing or allowing his death.

Michael Brady QC, speaking for the prosecution, outlined the events from January 6, the day that Leiland suffered fatal head injuries, to the arrest of his prospective adoptive parents.

Mr Brady said on January 6, the Castles' neighbour Jane Lloyd heard a 'thud' from their house on Eskdale Avenue, Barrow.

The court heard after Laura Castle woke her husband, who was asleep after returning from a nightshift at BAE, paramedics James Hall and Melissa Barrow arrived at 8.22am.

Laura Castle told Melissa Barrow that she was feeding Leiland Weetabix on the sofa, and she had got up to go into another room, leaving him on the sofa, when she heard a loud bang. On turning round, she saw that Leiland was floppy, face-down on the laminate floor, the court heard.

Scott Castle carried him to the ambulance, where he was assessed - he was breathing only six times per minute as opposed to the expected 25 to 35.
During the journey in the ambulance to Furness General Hospital, Leiland started to develop swelling to the side of his face.

Leiland was transferred to Alder Hey Children''s Hospital in Liverpool, arriving at around 11.30am.

During this time, the Castles returned home. Scott Castle called his father to tell him that Leiland had fallen from the sofa and hit his head on the coffee table.

Scott Castle also called a friend but she expressed confusion at how Leiland's injuries could be so severe when he had only fallen from the sofa - a distance later established to be 43cm - a concern shared by medical staff.

Consultant Neuropathologist Dr Daniel Du Plessis carried out an examination of Leiland's brain and spinal cord on February 18.

He identified spinal subdural hemorrhage, supporting the contention of traumatic non-accidental head injury. 

Within two hours of Leiland's death being confirmed at 3.03pm on January 7, both defendants were arrested by Merseyside Police on suspicion of causing or allowing his death, later changed to murder.

In an initial interview on January 8 and 9, Laura Castle, 38, said she had fed Leiland on her knee and stood up quickly from the sofa which caused Leiland to fall to the floor where he landed face down near the coffee table.

She tried to comfort him with his bottle, and saw blood on the teat, noticing Leiland had become floppy.

She admitted she gave a different account to medical staff.

She was interviewed on a second occasion in November 2021 when she answered no comment to all questions.

When Scott Castle was initially interviewed in January, he described Leiland as "clumsy", "lazy" and "stubborn", who "often cried", and was put in his playpen when he does.