Accused admits 'telling little lies' over son's death

A antheral accused of the execution and manslaughter of his babe lad has denied injuring him but admitted telling "little lies" successful his relationship of what happened.

Craig Rowland, 29, of Millington Park successful Portadown, is charged with the execution and manslaughter of Lewis Oliver Rowland, who died connected 20 October 2018.

Lewis was admitted to Craigavon Area Hospital erstwhile helium was 13 weeks old, with a fig of injuries including a superior encephalon injury, successful November 2015.

The kid died 3 years aboriginal from complications arising from surgery. It is the prosecution's lawsuit that the earlier injuries played a important relation successful his death.

Mr Rowland denies the charges and connected Wednesday, helium gave grounds for the archetypal time.

He said the nighttime earlier his lad was admitted to hospital, helium had been "unsettled" and had needed Calpol but slept for respective hours.

He said helium slept too, but was awoken by his spouse - the baby's parent Laura Graham - astatine astir 07:00 BST.

A defence barrister asked Mr Rowland if Lewis seemed antithetic from however helium had been earlier.

"He looked a spot different. He wasn't himself. Colour wise, not arsenic pinkish arsenic helium should be," helium said.

He was asked wherefore helium did not telephone an ambulance.

"We had nary phone," helium said.

Instead the tribunal heard the mates walked the 3 miles to Craigavon infirmary with Lewis successful his pram. When they arrived, helium was gravely sick and was rushed into a resuscitation unit.

Mr Rowland was asked by the defence barrister if astatine immoderate signifier did helium injure Lewis.

"No," helium replied.

He was asked if helium knew who did oregon if helium saw anyone injure him, to which helium replied "no".

When asked if helium accepted that Lewis was injured, helium replied: "Now I do, yes."

"Do you judge idiosyncratic had to inflict injuries," the defence barrister asked.

"Yes," Mr Rowland said.

Later nether transverse introspection by a prosecution barrister, helium was asked who carried retired the onslaught connected Lewis.

"I don't know," helium said.

He was asked repeatedly who attacked Lewis - the lone 2 radical caring for Lewis astatine that clip were Mr Rowland and the baby's mother, Laura Graham.

"Who are you suggesting carried retired the attack?" the prosecuting barrister asked.

"I can't constituent the digit astatine anyone else," Mr Rowland said.

"I cognize it wasn't me."

"I'm asking you directly, if it wasn't you, who was it?" the prosecution barrister asked.

"If I knew who I would say," Mr Rowland replied.

The tribunal heard that the mates were offered a furniture to enactment overnight successful the Royal Victoria infirmary successful Belfast with Lewis, but they declined and near the hospital.

He accepted that had been a "pretty callous thing" to do, successful hindsight.

Mr Rowland was accused by the prosecuting barrister of lying to the constabulary during interviews.

He said helium had told the information isolated from "little lies present and there", implicit erstwhile helium was oregon was not unsocial with the baby, and astir the timings of the time successful question.

The prosecuting barrister said: "I'm going to suggest to you Mr Rowland that you conscionable permission a way of lies down you to effort and fell what happened here."

He besides accused him of trying to region himself from the assault.

"You're the 1 who shook Lewis. You're telling these lies to effort and wriggle retired of it?"

"No decidedly not," Mr Rowland replied.

Mr Rowland, who is connected bail, has antecedently pleaded blameworthy to a complaint of wilfully neglecting his son.

The child's parent Laura Graham has besides pleaded blameworthy to the aforesaid charge.

The way continues.