A father accused of murdering his two-year-old son mentioned he discovered the kid on the ground after he ‘collided with a espresso desk’.
Preston Crown Courtroom heard Damion Russell had been positioned within the care of his father, Daniel Hardcastle, by social providers.
However on August 19 final yr, Hardcastle mentioned he had been doing chores within the kitchen of his flat in Blackpool when he heard a ‘thud’.
The 31-year-old, who denies a cost of homicide, informed the courtroom that Damion was mendacity face down subsequent to the espresso desk and he searched ‘easy methods to give CPR’ on YouTube after ‘seeing blood coming from his mouth.’
Paramedics later attended the scene after Hardcastle referred to as 999. Damion, who was in cardiac and respiratory arrest, was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital. He was later transferred to Manchester Youngsters’s Hospital on life help however died two days later.
The courtroom heard that Hardcastle found he was a father when the kid was taken into the care of Lancashire and Blackpool Social Providers.
Daniel Hardcastle is accused of murdering his two-year-old son Damion Russell
Emergency providers attended Hardcastle’s flat on August 19, 2023 to studies Damion had gone into cardiac arrest (pictured: Emergency providers on the scene)
The courtroom heard Damion was faraway from his mom and positioned within the care of foster mother and father when he was round 10-months-old.
After some digging, social staff suspected Daniel Hardcastle was the daddy and requested him to undertake a DNA take a look at.
Jurors heard when the take a look at got here again as optimistic, the 31-year-old mentioned he needed to rise to the problem of being a father and lift the teenager, who was affected by improvement delays.
The household granted parental duty to Hardcastle after social staff undertook a 5 month lengthy evaluation.
The courtroom was informed social staff had no issues concerning the bond between Hardcastle and his son and the case was closed on July 28 final yr.
Round three weeks later, on August 19, Hardcastle informed the courtroom he acquired up at round 8am and made breakfast for Damion.
He then let Damion play whereas he sorted washing and washed up within the kitchen.
At 11.05am, Hardcastle carried out three Google searches, asking: ‘How lengthy do bruises take to heal?’
He informed the jury they have been ‘innocent searches’ as he was ‘scared that individuals would suppose the bruises have been attributable to me’.
When requested by his barrister John Jones KC whether or not the bruises had been attributable to him, he replied: ‘No.’
The defendant found he was a father when the kid was taken into the care of Lancashire and Blackpool Social Providers, Preston Crown Courtroom (pictured) heard
Hardcastle mentioned he then heard a thud and ‘immediately stopped the whole lot’. He mentioned Damion was mendacity face down subsequent to the espresso desk. ‘He appeared acquainted to when he had the convulsion’, he mentioned. ‘It gave the impression to be an identical factor however it wasn’t as a result of I realised he wasn’t acutely aware in a short time.’
He mentioned Damion had blood coming from his mouth, so he used his pyjamas to wipe his face earlier than administering CPR.
At 11.06am, he searched YouTube for ‘easy methods to give CPR’ earlier than calling 999 at 11.09am.
‘I realised what I used to be doing wasn’t working,’ he mentioned. ‘The respiratory appeared to go from shallow to not respiratory in any respect, so that’s after I phoned the ambulance.’
Ambulance crews contacted the police and reported a younger youngster was in cardiac arrest. Paramedics arrived on the home shortly earlier than the police.
When officers arrived, Hardcastle started cleansing faeces from the couch as medics labored on his son. He informed the courtroom it was ‘only a pure factor to do’.
‘If somebody comes spherical to the home – I clear up and try to make the place presentable,’ he added.
Damion was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital in cardiac and respiratory arrest. He was later transferred to Manchester Youngsters’s Hospital on life help however died two days later.
Hardcastle was arrested on suspicion of GBH, and afterward suspicion of homicide, following Damion’s loss of life.
Telephone and web logs confirmed that on two separate events, in June and July 2023, Hardcastle had carried out Google searches about ‘easy methods to soothe a bruised leg’ and ‘how lengthy do toddler bruises final?’.
Hardcastle informed the courtroom Damion would usually get bruises as he was unsteady on his ft and would fall ‘not less than a dozen instances a day’. ‘He was simply discovering his ft’, he mentioned.
When questioned by Mr Jones KC, the tattoo artist mentioned his mom and their social employee had seen the bruises on Damion. However he mentioned he was ‘afraid of the belief by folks like social’.
He added: ‘I feared in the event that they thought it was right down to me he can be taken from my care and I might have gone by way of all that onerous work for nothing.’
He mentioned after they moved into the flat in Might 2023 that they had ‘a very good bond, father and son getting stronger day-after-day’.
He took his son on journeys to the park, the seashore and the pier and had been to Fairhaven Lake and the Splash park in Lytham along with his little boy.
On June 29, 2023, Damion was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital after falling on a step at a good friend’s tattoo parlour.
The toddler was scorching and gave the impression to be becoming, Hardcastle mentioned. He referred to as for assist from two girls who have been passing by, and one – who he later realized was a nurse – stripped Damion down and put him within the restoration place.
Damion was recognized as having suffered a febrile convulsion – a situation which might have an effect on younger youngsters after they have a excessive temperature and discharged the identical day.
On the evening on July 18, Hardcastle mentioned he spent the evening on a video name with a lady whereas Damion was in mattress.
Telephone logs confirmed the decision lasted a number of hours from round 11pm to 6am the next morning.
Hardcastle mentioned the dialog was ‘flirtatious and nothing extra’ and throughout the name he turned the digicam to Damion to point out the girl his son.
He mentioned: ‘I felt proud, like I used to be doing a superb job and folks might see that.’
The trial continues.
