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Hamzah Khan mummified body: Officer thought body 'not real' | Hamzah Khan mummified body: Officer thought body 'not real' |
(34 minutes later) | |
A detective who found the mummified body of a four-year-old boy has told a court that at first he thought the child was not real. | A detective who found the mummified body of a four-year-old boy has told a court that at first he thought the child was not real. |
Det Con Richard Dove was giving evidence at the trial of Amanda Hutton, who denies the manslaughter of her son Hamzah Khan. | Det Con Richard Dove was giving evidence at the trial of Amanda Hutton, who denies the manslaughter of her son Hamzah Khan. |
Bradford Crown Court heard Hamzah's remains were found in a cot in his mother's bedroom in Bradford, in 2011. | Bradford Crown Court heard Hamzah's remains were found in a cot in his mother's bedroom in Bradford, in 2011. |
The jury has heard how he starved to death two years earlier. | |
Mr Dove told the court that when he arrived at Ms Hutton's house it was a tip. | |
He said the smell was "like rubbish, mixed with sweat, mixed with urine". | He said the smell was "like rubbish, mixed with sweat, mixed with urine". |
The court heard the officer could not enter the sitting room because rubbish was blocking the door and he could see vodka bottles in the kitchen. | The court heard the officer could not enter the sitting room because rubbish was blocking the door and he could see vodka bottles in the kitchen. |
'Hand shaking' | 'Hand shaking' |
He then went upstairs, where he could see a pile of soiled nappies which had "gone mouldy", the jury heard. | He then went upstairs, where he could see a pile of soiled nappies which had "gone mouldy", the jury heard. |
On entering Ms Hutton's bedroom, the officer saw two cots and initially did not see Hamzah. | On entering Ms Hutton's bedroom, the officer saw two cots and initially did not see Hamzah. |
He told jurors was looking for evidence of child neglect and cruelty. | He told jurors was looking for evidence of child neglect and cruelty. |
Mr Dove said: "The bedding was all soaked. The place was in such a state. I've never seen anything like it." | |
He then briefly left the house, before going back in to begin a search of the cots. | He then briefly left the house, before going back in to begin a search of the cots. |
The detective told jurors he had to remove clothing, shoes and layers of blankets before finding Hamzah's body. | The detective told jurors he had to remove clothing, shoes and layers of blankets before finding Hamzah's body. |
He said: " I was shocked, I thought is that real? I didn't expect to find a child." | He said: " I was shocked, I thought is that real? I didn't expect to find a child." |
Hamzah's body was "mummified" and there were no signs of life, he explained. | |
Mr Dove said: "My right hand starting shaking, wobbling, I had no control of it, so I grabbed it to calm myself down." | |
The detective told other officers what he had found. | The detective told other officers what he had found. |
The jury has heard how he had died almost two years earlier, in December 2009. | The jury has heard how he had died almost two years earlier, in December 2009. |
The prosecution has told the court Hamzah had starved to death as a result of his mother's neglect. | The prosecution has told the court Hamzah had starved to death as a result of his mother's neglect. |
She denies one charge of manslaughter by gross negligence and claims her child died from natural causes. | She denies one charge of manslaughter by gross negligence and claims her child died from natural causes. |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |