Mansfield toddler’s murder trial is halted after defendant taken ill

Week two of the trial of Thomas Curd, 31, from Watford and Abigail Leatherland, 26, formerly of Mansfield, got underway at Truro Crown Court on Monday (March 18).

The pair are both charged with murder, manslaughter by gross negligence, and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The jury yesterday heard from a series of experts who gave evidence regarding the multiple injuries Eve suffered in the days before her death.

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Man’s body found in MansfieldWhat the serious case review found following the inquest into Amber PeatPresiding over the case, Mrs Justice Juliet May was told that Curd was not well and had not travelled to court.

After a period of discussion between the legal parties the decision was made that it was not appropriate to proceed with the trial in Curd’s absence as he wants to take an active part in the proceedings.

The trial is now scheduled to resume on Wednesday (March 20) at an earlier time of 9.30am to compensate for the lost time today.

Eve died in October 2017 after her lifeless body was rushed to hospital.

Post-mortem and toxological examinations showed how Eve had been administered with a fatal dose of codeine, enough it was said to have killed an adult.

READ MORE:

Day One: Trial starts into death of Mansfield Woodhouse toddlerDay Two: Murder trial told Mansfield toddler was beaten, poisoned and left to dieDay Three: Mansfield toddler was cold and blue when paramedics arrived to save herDay Four: Murder accused ‘laughed and joked’ as Mansfield toddler lay dead in a hospital bedDay Five: Jury told Mansfield toddler had enough codeine in her system to kill an adult Day Six: Mansfield toddler suffered 12 rib fractures and two skull fractures in the days before she diedRound-up: Trial into death of Mansfield toddler - what we know so far