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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
(about 2 hours later)
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 had 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 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 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 the 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 the second day 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 the second day 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 Matthew Scully-Hicks’s 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?” Craig 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 had met in Wiltshire in 2008 and married in 2012. They moved to Cardiff, where Craig Scully-Hicks is from.
Craig said he wanted a “daddy’s little princess”. The family moved into the Llandaff suburb of the city and were surrounded by friends and family. Craig said the couple were also frequently visited by social workers. Craig Scully-Hicks said he wanted a “daddy’s little princess”. The family moved into the Llandaff suburb of the city and were surrounded by friends and family. Craig Scully-Hicks 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 Scully-Hicks said Elsie was “tiny” when she arrived aged nine months but “loud and bouncy”. “She was good apart from sleeping,” he 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. He worked away two or three times a week and Matthew Scully-Hicks stayed at home. Craig Scully-Hicks said his husband’s mother had stayed at home with him and he had wanted to do the same.
Asked about Elsie’s development, Craig said: “She was doing OK. 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.” He said it had been sensible for him to work while Matthew Scully-Hicks remained at home. “It was natural for us to take those roles,” he said, and his husband had never showed any resentment. “I don’t think he would have had it any other way,” the witness said.
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 give her CPR and she was in an ambulance.” Craig drove to the Cardiff hospital where Elsie was being treated. Asked about Elsie’s development, Craig Scully-Hicks said: “She was doing OK. 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 Scully-Hicks said, he received a call from his husband as he drove home from work. “He was upset, crying. He said Elsie was really poorly. He had had to give her CPR and she was in an ambulance.” Craig Scully-Hicks 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 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 Scully-Hicks 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.” She died on 29 May in hospital.
The jury has been told that within 12 days of the couple taking in Elsie, 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 in Elsie, 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 allegedly sent a message to Craig Scully-Hicks calling Elsie “a psycho” and “Satan dressed up in a baby-grow”.
In November 2015, Elsie 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, Elsie sustained two fractures to her right leg and in December a bruise to her head. Matthew 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. Her 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 and been sick. Her 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 Scully-Hicks said as Elsie had only been sick three times she was not given a CT scan. He said if they had been in Scotland this would have taken place. He told the jury: “If my daughter had been scanned that day I wonder whether we would be here today.”
He told the court 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 they had been sent home without any medication or information. “I pray every day that someone had given me a leaflet,” he said.
Craig Scully-Hicks said Elsie was very sore and achy after they got home. “She didn’t want to be put down. She wanted to be on our laps constantly. She didn’t want to play with her toys. She wanted to be cuddled. It was as if she lost her confidence. I’m not sure she ever regained her confidence.” Craig Scully-Hicks said he was also worried about a “squint” Elsie developed.
Craig Scully-Hicks said they had not taken the girl back to either the hospital or the doctor’s. “I’ve got to live with that,” he said.
After she returned home, Craig Scully-Hicks said, Elsie was sick more often than she had been. The couple put it down to food allergies. “Now I know what I should have been looking for I would have taken her back to hospital,” 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, had said he believed Elsie had died after she was shaken violently. The consultant neuro-radiologist Neil Stoodley concluded Elsie had suffered “abusive head trauma that involved a shaking mechanism”.
Craig Scully-Hicks said he was “taken aback” at what he claimed was an accusatory tone by one of the doctors who looked after Elsie in hospital shortly before she died. “It was like a bolt out of the blue,” he said.
He said he had been shocked by the physiotherapy Elsie was given in hospital at the time. “I would describe it as brutal,” he said. “I had to leave the room. I couldn’t watch it any longer.”
The trial continues.The trial continues.