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| Man accused of murdering daughter was quiet and gentle, jury told | Man accused of murdering daughter was quiet and gentle, jury told |
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| The husband of a man accused of murdering the baby girl they adopted together has told a jury their home was “filled with love and happiness” and his partner was quiet and gentle. | The husband of a man accused of murdering the baby girl they adopted together has told a jury their home was “filled with love and happiness” and his partner was quiet and gentle. |
| Craig Scully-Hicks, said he had never heard his husband, Matthew, shout, swear at or punish Elsie. | Craig Scully-Hicks, said he had never heard his husband, Matthew, shout, swear at or punish Elsie. |
| Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, is accused of murdering 18-month-old Elsie, possibly by shaking her, after physically abusing her for months at the couple’s four-bedroomed home in Cardiff. He denies the charge. | Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, is accused of murdering 18-month-old Elsie, possibly by shaking her, after physically abusing her for months at the couple’s four-bedroomed home in Cardiff. He denies the charge. |
| The jury at Cardiff crown court has heard that former fitness instructor Matthew Scully-Hicks once called Elsie “a psycho” and “Satan dressed up in a baby-grow” and it is claimed neighbours heard him swearing at and insulting the child. | The jury at Cardiff crown court has heard that former fitness instructor Matthew Scully-Hicks once called Elsie “a psycho” and “Satan dressed up in a baby-grow” and it is claimed neighbours heard him swearing at and insulting the child. |
| However, on day two of the trial, Craig Scully-Hicks, an account manager, told the court: “I need to be clear here. My house was filled with love and happiness all the time. All the time. If I had suspected anything I wouldn’t have tolerated it.” | However, on day two of the trial, Craig Scully-Hicks, an account manager, told the court: “I need to be clear here. My house was filled with love and happiness all the time. All the time. If I had suspected anything I wouldn’t have tolerated it.” |
| He said his husband was nicknamed “safety boy” by some family members because he was so sensible. | He said his husband was nicknamed “safety boy” by some family members because he was so sensible. |
| Asked by Scully-Hicks’ barrister, Robert O’Sullivan QC, if he had ever heard his husband shouting at Elsie or her adoptive sibling or getting angry at them, he replied: “No.” The barrister continued: “You have never heard him swear at them let alone punish them?” Scully-Hicks answered: “Never.” | Asked by Scully-Hicks’ barrister, Robert O’Sullivan QC, if he had ever heard his husband shouting at Elsie or her adoptive sibling or getting angry at them, he replied: “No.” The barrister continued: “You have never heard him swear at them let alone punish them?” Scully-Hicks answered: “Never.” |
| Craig Scully-Hicks sobbed on several occasions as he gave his evidence. He said the pair met in 2008 and married in 2012. They moved to Cardiff, where Craig is from. | Craig Scully-Hicks sobbed on several occasions as he gave his evidence. He said the pair met in 2008 and married in 2012. They moved to Cardiff, where Craig is from. |
| Craig said he wanted a “daddy’s little princess”. The family moved into a comfortable home in the city’s Llandaff suburb and were surrounded by friends and family. Craig said the couple were also frequently visited by social workers. | Craig said he wanted a “daddy’s little princess”. The family moved into a comfortable home in the city’s Llandaff suburb and were surrounded by friends and family. Craig said the couple were also frequently visited by social workers. |
| Craig said Elsie was “tiny” when she arrived aged nine months but “loud and bouncy.” He worked away two or three times a week and Matthew stayed at home. Craig said his husband’s mother had stayed at home with him and he wanted to do the same. | Craig said Elsie was “tiny” when she arrived aged nine months but “loud and bouncy.” He worked away two or three times a week and Matthew stayed at home. Craig said his husband’s mother had stayed at home with him and he wanted to do the same. |
| He said it had been sensible for him to work while Matthew remained at home. “It was natural for us to take those roles,” he said. Matthew had never showed any resentment. “I don’t think he would have had it any other way,” the witness said. | He said it had been sensible for him to work while Matthew remained at home. “It was natural for us to take those roles,” he said. Matthew had never showed any resentment. “I don’t think he would have had it any other way,” the witness said. |
| Asked about Elsie’s development, Craig said: “She was doing okay. She was still really tiny. She didn’t have any teeth. She didn’t walk. It was like she was petrified or in pain each time we tried to get her to walk. She used to go rigid as though she was petrified to do it. It was like she had no confidence or was in pain.” | |
| On 25 May 2016 Craig said he received a call from Matthew as he drove home from work. | On 25 May 2016 Craig said he received a call from Matthew as he drove home from work. |
| “He was upset, crying. He said Elsie was really poorly. He had had to giver her CPR and she was in an ambulance.” Craig drove to the Cardiff hospital where Elsie was being treated. | “He was upset, crying. He said Elsie was really poorly. He had had to giver her CPR and she was in an ambulance.” Craig drove to the Cardiff hospital where Elsie was being treated. |
| “Elsie was on the operating table. I ran straight into the operating room and there were people everywhere. She was just lying on the table.” | “Elsie was on the operating table. I ran straight into the operating room and there were people everywhere. She was just lying on the table.” |
| Matthew Scully-Hicks told Craig that he had changed her before bedtime and left her in the living room to dispose of the nappy. “When he went back into the room Elsie was lying on the floor and she looked like she was asleep. She wasn’t. He checked her airways and phoned for an ambulance and began CPR.” | Matthew Scully-Hicks told Craig that he had changed her before bedtime and left her in the living room to dispose of the nappy. “When he went back into the room Elsie was lying on the floor and she looked like she was asleep. She wasn’t. He checked her airways and phoned for an ambulance and began CPR.” |
| The jury has been told that within 12 days of the couple taking Elsie in, Matthew Scully-Hicks was messaging a friend: “I’m going through hell with Elsie! Mealtimes and bedtime are like my worst nightmare at the moment. She’s been up there screaming for 10 minutes non stop. She’s just stopped but I doubt that’s the last I’ll hear tonight.” | The jury has been told that within 12 days of the couple taking Elsie in, Matthew Scully-Hicks was messaging a friend: “I’m going through hell with Elsie! Mealtimes and bedtime are like my worst nightmare at the moment. She’s been up there screaming for 10 minutes non stop. She’s just stopped but I doubt that’s the last I’ll hear tonight.” |
| He also sent a message to Craig calling Elsie “a psycho” and “Satan dressed up in a baby-grow”. | He also sent a message to Craig calling Elsie “a psycho” and “Satan dressed up in a baby-grow”. |
| In November 2015, she sustained two fractures to her right leg and in December a bruise to her head. Scully-Hicks claimed in each case she had fallen. | In November 2015, she sustained two fractures to her right leg and in December a bruise to her head. Scully-Hicks claimed in each case she had fallen. |
| On 10 March 2016, Craig Scully-Hicks received a phone call from his husband saying that he was in an ambulance with Elsie as she had fallen down the stairs. Elsie’s injuries were considered to be consistent with such a fall and she was allowed to go home. | On 10 March 2016, Craig Scully-Hicks received a phone call from his husband saying that he was in an ambulance with Elsie as she had fallen down the stairs. Elsie’s injuries were considered to be consistent with such a fall and she was allowed to go home. |
| Craig became emotional as he said that after this incident Elsie seemed “clingy”, adding: “She looked very sad.” | Craig became emotional as he said that after this incident Elsie seemed “clingy”, adding: “She looked very sad.” |
| He told the court that they had been sent home without any medication or information. “I pray every day that someone had given me a leaflet,” he said. | He told the court that they had been sent home without any medication or information. “I pray every day that someone had given me a leaflet,” he said. |
| Following her death in May, a postmortem found Elsie had recent and older bleeding on both sides of her brain. She had haemorrhages in both eyes and fractures to her skull and her ribs. | Following her death in May, a postmortem found Elsie had recent and older bleeding on both sides of her brain. She had haemorrhages in both eyes and fractures to her skull and her ribs. |
| The jury heard that a consultant paediatrician, Stephen Rose, believed Elsie died after she was shaken violently. Consultant neuroradiologist Neil Stoodley concluded Elsie suffered “abusive head trauma that involved a shaking mechanism”. | The jury heard that a consultant paediatrician, Stephen Rose, believed Elsie died after she was shaken violently. Consultant neuroradiologist Neil Stoodley concluded Elsie suffered “abusive head trauma that involved a shaking mechanism”. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |