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| Elsie Scully-Hicks was always smiling, says father accused of her murder | Elsie Scully-Hicks was always smiling, says father accused of her murder |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A fitness instructor accused of murdering his adopted daughter sobbed as he told a jury about the toddler’s smile and her love of attention. | A fitness instructor accused of murdering his adopted daughter sobbed as he told a jury about the toddler’s smile and her love of attention. |
| Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, adopted Elsie Scully-Hicks two weeks before she died at University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff. She was found to have bleeding on the brain, retinal haemorrhage in both eyes, a skull fracture and fractures to three ribs and her leg. | |
| Scully-Hicks, who denies inflicting serious injuries on Elsie, had been looking after the 18-month-old at the home he shared with his husband in Llandaff when she collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest on 25 May 2016. | Scully-Hicks, who denies inflicting serious injuries on Elsie, had been looking after the 18-month-old at the home he shared with his husband in Llandaff when she collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest on 25 May 2016. |
| Giving evidence in his trial at Cardiff crown court on Wednesday, Scully-Hicks became emotional when asked what Elsie had been like. | Giving evidence in his trial at Cardiff crown court on Wednesday, Scully-Hicks became emotional when asked what Elsie had been like. |
| “She was such a happy little girl, she always had a smile on her face,” he said. “She would always like to make sure that everyone knew she was there. | “She was such a happy little girl, she always had a smile on her face,” he said. “She would always like to make sure that everyone knew she was there. |
| “She liked the attention, she liked the interaction.” | “She liked the attention, she liked the interaction.” |
| Medics managed to revive Elsie after her initial collapse, but her condition worsened and she died in the early hours of 29 May 2016. | Medics managed to revive Elsie after her initial collapse, but her condition worsened and she died in the early hours of 29 May 2016. |
| Scully-Hicks said he met his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, 36, while living in Swindon, Wiltshire, in about 2006. | Scully-Hicks said he met his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, 36, while living in Swindon, Wiltshire, in about 2006. |
| The pair began a relationship in 2008, moved to Cardiff in late 2010 and early 2011, and were married in Portugal in August 2012, Scully-Hicks said. | The pair began a relationship in 2008, moved to Cardiff in late 2010 and early 2011, and were married in Portugal in August 2012, Scully-Hicks said. |
| He said they discussed having children early on in their relationship. “We both sat down and talked about our life goals, what we wanted to achieve in the future,” he said. | He said they discussed having children early on in their relationship. “We both sat down and talked about our life goals, what we wanted to achieve in the future,” he said. |
| “We were both of the mind that we wanted children – that was something we were able to agree on very early on.” | “We were both of the mind that we wanted children – that was something we were able to agree on very early on.” |
| Scully-Hicks said he had not minded whether the couple adopted a boy or girl. “We had requested as young as possible. We wanted to see and witness as much as we could,” he told the jury. | Scully-Hicks said he had not minded whether the couple adopted a boy or girl. “We had requested as young as possible. We wanted to see and witness as much as we could,” he told the jury. |
| “We wanted to be there when they took their first step and wanted to be there when they said their first word – we wanted to see all of that.” | “We wanted to be there when they took their first step and wanted to be there when they said their first word – we wanted to see all of that.” |
| Elsie came to live with the couple in September 2015, when she was 10 months old, having been removed from her birth mother, a drug user, within days of being born in November 2014. She was in the care of Vale of Glamorgan council before being placed with them. | |
| Scully-Hicks said they agreed early on that he would be the primary caregiver – a role he wanted to take because he remembered how his mother had been there for him as a child. | Scully-Hicks said they agreed early on that he would be the primary caregiver – a role he wanted to take because he remembered how his mother had been there for him as a child. |
| Elsie had fractured her right leg in two places in November 2015 and had bruising to her head in December and January 2016, the court heard. | |
| On 10 March 2016, she was taken to UHW after falling down the stairs. | |
| The court previously heard that Elsie’s injuries in May were consistent with her being “shaken violently” and having her head “rocked backwards and forwards so that her head was flexed down on to her chest and flexed backwards”. | The court previously heard that Elsie’s injuries in May were consistent with her being “shaken violently” and having her head “rocked backwards and forwards so that her head was flexed down on to her chest and flexed backwards”. |
| Scully-Hicks denies murder. | Scully-Hicks denies murder. |
| Neighbours had told the court they heard Scully-Hicks shouting and swearing at Elsie when she cried. When asked about that, he said: “I would not swear at my child, I would not say that to my child.” | Neighbours had told the court they heard Scully-Hicks shouting and swearing at Elsie when she cried. When asked about that, he said: “I would not swear at my child, I would not say that to my child.” |
| In relation to Elsie’s fractured leg, Scully-Hicks said he was in the kitchen on 5 November 2015, with the child standing at an activity table, when he saw her turn to look at him and she fell. | In relation to Elsie’s fractured leg, Scully-Hicks said he was in the kitchen on 5 November 2015, with the child standing at an activity table, when he saw her turn to look at him and she fell. |
| “She was crying, so I picked her up and gave her a cuddle to console her, and I checked her over to see if I could see anything obvious , which I couldn’t,” he said. | “She was crying, so I picked her up and gave her a cuddle to console her, and I checked her over to see if I could see anything obvious , which I couldn’t,” he said. |
| “Initially she was upset, but that did not last very long – a minute or two minutes maybe, and then she calmed down and she was fine.” | “Initially she was upset, but that did not last very long – a minute or two minutes maybe, and then she calmed down and she was fine.” |
| Scully-Hicks told the jury he did not think Elsie was seriously hurt at that stage. A few days later he noticed she was standing but not putting her whole foot on the ground. | Scully-Hicks told the jury he did not think Elsie was seriously hurt at that stage. A few days later he noticed she was standing but not putting her whole foot on the ground. |
| He said he and his husband made a decision that weekend that there was “something not quite right” and he should take her to see a doctor on the Monday. | He said he and his husband made a decision that weekend that there was “something not quite right” and he should take her to see a doctor on the Monday. |
| Scully-Hicks told the jury that Elsie’s GP examined her, but did not think she was in pain and could not see any deformities. He said the GP decided to be “on the safe side” and booked them an appointment at a trauma clinic on 12 November. | Scully-Hicks told the jury that Elsie’s GP examined her, but did not think she was in pain and could not see any deformities. He said the GP decided to be “on the safe side” and booked them an appointment at a trauma clinic on 12 November. |
| The court heard Elsie was found to have fractured her leg above her right ankle and was placed in a full-leg cast, which she wore for three weeks. | The court heard Elsie was found to have fractured her leg above her right ankle and was placed in a full-leg cast, which she wore for three weeks. |
| The images were reviewed after Elsie’s death and two fractures were then found: the lower leg fracture and a second one in Elsie’s right femur, just above the knee. | The images were reviewed after Elsie’s death and two fractures were then found: the lower leg fracture and a second one in Elsie’s right femur, just above the knee. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |