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| Matthew Scully-Hicks says he is 'not to blame' for adoptive daughter's death | Matthew Scully-Hicks says he is 'not to blame' for adoptive daughter's death |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A fitness instructor accused of murdering his adoptive daughter has insisted he is “not to blame” for her death. | A fitness instructor accused of murdering his adoptive daughter has insisted he is “not to blame” for her death. |
| Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, said he had told the truth about what happened to 18-month-old Elsie before she died in May 2016. | Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, said he had told the truth about what happened to 18-month-old Elsie before she died in May 2016. |
| Elsie had been formally adopted by Scully-Hicks and his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, 36, just two weeks earlier. | Elsie had been formally adopted by Scully-Hicks and his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, 36, just two weeks earlier. |
| Scully-Hicks, of Delabole, Cornwall, denies murdering Elsie at the couple’s home in Llandaff, Cardiff, on 29 May. | Scully-Hicks, of Delabole, Cornwall, denies murdering Elsie at the couple’s home in Llandaff, Cardiff, on 29 May. |
| Giving evidence at Cardiff crown court, Scully-Hicks said he had changed Elsie for bed in the lounge then went into the kitchen. “As I went into the room, Elsie was in a similar position on the floor,” he told the jury. | Giving evidence at Cardiff crown court, Scully-Hicks said he had changed Elsie for bed in the lounge then went into the kitchen. “As I went into the room, Elsie was in a similar position on the floor,” he told the jury. |
| “I thought she was asleep or watching the telly. As I got closer she didn’t acknowledge me coming in the room, which for her was strange. I got a little closer again and then called her. There was no response. I got closer and gave her a gentle tap and there was no response at all. I phoned for the ambulance.” | “I thought she was asleep or watching the telly. As I got closer she didn’t acknowledge me coming in the room, which for her was strange. I got a little closer again and then called her. There was no response. I got closer and gave her a gentle tap and there was no response at all. I phoned for the ambulance.” |
| When asked if he could offer any explanation for her injuries, Scully-Hicks replied: “No.” | When asked if he could offer any explanation for her injuries, Scully-Hicks replied: “No.” |
| He also answered “no” when asked if he had caused her injuries, and insisted he had told the truth about what had happened. “I am not to blame,” he said. “I didn’t cause those injuries.” | He also answered “no” when asked if he had caused her injuries, and insisted he had told the truth about what had happened. “I am not to blame,” he said. “I didn’t cause those injuries.” |
| Paramedics and police arrived at the property at 6.26pm and found Elsie not breathing, with no pulse, in the lounge. | Paramedics and police arrived at the property at 6.26pm and found Elsie not breathing, with no pulse, in the lounge. |
| She was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, where she died in the early hours of 29 May. | She was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, where she died in the early hours of 29 May. |
| Tests found evidence of both recent and older bleeding in her brain, and haemorrhages in front of Elsie’s eyes. A postmortem examination revealed she had suffered several broken ribs, a fractured left femur and a fractured skull. | Tests found evidence of both recent and older bleeding in her brain, and haemorrhages in front of Elsie’s eyes. A postmortem examination revealed she had suffered several broken ribs, a fractured left femur and a fractured skull. |
| The court previously heard Elsie’s injuries were consistent with her being shaken violently, with her head “rocked backwards and forwards”. | The court previously heard Elsie’s injuries were consistent with her being shaken violently, with her head “rocked backwards and forwards”. |
| Scully-Hicks said Elsie had been healthy and normal on the day of her collapse, 25 May, and walked “hand in hand” with him into the lounge. | Scully-Hicks said Elsie had been healthy and normal on the day of her collapse, 25 May, and walked “hand in hand” with him into the lounge. |
| After being changed for bed, she was left on the floor while Scully-Hicks left the room for “about five minutes”, he said. | After being changed for bed, she was left on the floor while Scully-Hicks left the room for “about five minutes”, he said. |
| When asked whether he accepted the injuries that experts found Elsie had sustained, he replied “yes”. “I’m not disputing it, I just don’t think it’s everything,” he told the court. “The injuries don’t make sense to me but I’ve given the account of what happened that day.” | When asked whether he accepted the injuries that experts found Elsie had sustained, he replied “yes”. “I’m not disputing it, I just don’t think it’s everything,” he told the court. “The injuries don’t make sense to me but I’ve given the account of what happened that day.” |
| When asked what further tests should be carried out, he replied: “I don’t know.” | When asked what further tests should be carried out, he replied: “I don’t know.” |
| On the day before her collapse, Elsie had been “jolted” in her car seat as Scully-Hicks adjusted seats in the car, he said. “As I pushed the lever, the seat seemed to jolt forward,” he told the court. “Elsie flinched a little bit. She didn’t like the movement.” | On the day before her collapse, Elsie had been “jolted” in her car seat as Scully-Hicks adjusted seats in the car, he said. “As I pushed the lever, the seat seemed to jolt forward,” he told the court. “Elsie flinched a little bit. She didn’t like the movement.” |
| Dr Stephen Rose, a consultant paediatrician, previously told the jury it was unlikely that could explain her injuries. | Dr Stephen Rose, a consultant paediatrician, previously told the jury it was unlikely that could explain her injuries. |
| Scully-Hicks met his husband while living in Swindon, Wiltshire, in about 2006. They became a couple in 2008 and moved to Cardiff a few years later, before marrying in Portugal in August 2012. | Scully-Hicks met his husband while living in Swindon, Wiltshire, in about 2006. They became a couple in 2008 and moved to Cardiff a few years later, before marrying in Portugal in August 2012. |
| The couple discussed having children early in their relationship and decided Matthew Scully-Hicks would stay at home to be the primary carer. | The couple discussed having children early in their relationship and decided Matthew Scully-Hicks would stay at home to be the primary carer. |
| After approaching social services, they underwent courses, checks, assessments and regular contact with social workers. | After approaching social services, they underwent courses, checks, assessments and regular contact with social workers. |
| Scully-Hicks said he had not minded whether the couple adopted a little 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.” | Scully-Hicks said he had not minded whether the couple adopted a little 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.” |
| Elsie, who had been removed from her natural mother within days of her birth in November 2014, came to live with the couple in September 2015. | Elsie, who had been removed from her natural mother within days of her birth in November 2014, came to live with the couple in September 2015. |
| “She was such a happy little girl, she always had a smile on her face,” Scully-Hicks said. “She would always like to make sure that everyone knew she was there. She liked the attention, she liked the interaction.” | “She was such a happy little girl, she always had a smile on her face,” Scully-Hicks said. “She would always like to make sure that everyone knew she was there. She liked the attention, she liked the interaction.” |
| He disputed accounts from neighbours that he would shout and swear at Elsie when she cried. “I would not swear at my child, I would not say that to my child. I wouldn’t have shouted at all,” he told the jury. | He disputed accounts from neighbours that he would shout and swear at Elsie when she cried. “I would not swear at my child, I would not say that to my child. I wouldn’t have shouted at all,” he told the jury. |
| Scully-Hicks described Elsie as “Satan dressed up in a babygrow”, a “psycho” and a “diva” in messages to his husband and friends. | Scully-Hicks described Elsie as “Satan dressed up in a babygrow”, a “psycho” and a “diva” in messages to his husband and friends. |
| He said he had texted a friend that Elsie was having a “diva strop” as “a joke” and insisted that it had not been meant seriously. “It was nothing that I couldn’t cope with, nothing that was out of range,” he told the jury. | He said he had texted a friend that Elsie was having a “diva strop” as “a joke” and insisted that it had not been meant seriously. “It was nothing that I couldn’t cope with, nothing that was out of range,” he told the jury. |
| When asked about describing Elsie as “Satan dressed up in a babygrow”, he said: “I wouldn’t have said it in malice.” | When asked about describing Elsie as “Satan dressed up in a babygrow”, he said: “I wouldn’t have said it in malice.” |
| In another message, he said, “she pretty much looks and sounds like the exorcist to be fair. We were just having a joke at the time,” he said. | In another message, he said, “she pretty much looks and sounds like the exorcist to be fair. We were just having a joke at the time,” he said. |
| Elsie fractured her right leg in two places in November 2015 and suffered bruises to her head in December 2015 and January 2016, it is alleged. | Elsie fractured her right leg in two places in November 2015 and suffered bruises to her head in December 2015 and January 2016, it is alleged. |
| On 10 March, she was taken to the University Hospital of Wales after falling “head over heels” down a full flight of stairs at home, he said. Scully-Hicks denies causing any injury to Elsie. | On 10 March, she was taken to the University Hospital of Wales after falling “head over heels” down a full flight of stairs at home, he said. Scully-Hicks denies causing any injury to Elsie. |
| He has pleaded not guilty to her murder and the trial continues. | He has pleaded not guilty to her murder and the trial continues. |
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