Joshua Millinson murder trial: Newborn baby 'had 12 broken bones' when he died

Joshua Millinson was 13 days old when he was taken to New Cross Hospital in cardiac arrest and died after his life support was switched off nearly a month later.

His father, Daniel Sanzone, is on trial accused of his murder.

The jury has been told doctors discovered six fractures to Joshua's legs and six in his ribs after examining the infant in the days after he suffered a fatal brain injury.

But a paediatrician who examined him five days earlier said she did not identify anything which would indicate the presence of fractures at that stage.

The prosecution say Sanzone assaulted his son and inflicted the fractures prior to October 24 when he allegedly shook Joshua causing him 'catastrophic' brain injuries.

Dr Lisa Kehler examined the infant on October 19 when he attended A&E at New Cross Hospital with a rash.

Cross-examining Dr Kehler, Mr David Mason QC, defending Sanzone, asked: "Are you aware Joshua had six fractures to his legs and six fractures to his ribs?

"Do you agree that those fractures would have caused Joshua pain assuming he was conscious?

"And when you examined him on the 19th, had he had any fractures then would you expect to experience complaint or discomfort?"

Dr Kehler, replied: "I would have expected to, yes, but I did not.

"He was well flexed and moving all of his limbs.

"It is certainly not what I would have expected to see with all the fractures."

Joshua suffered brain injuries, bleeding within the layer protecting his brain, and extensive bleeding into both retinas following the alleged shaking.

And he died following nearly a month on life support after the High Court ruled his care should be withdrawn.

The jury also heard last week from consultant ophthalmic pathologist Dr Richard Bonshek who detailed damage which had been caused to Joshua's eyes.

He said he found considerable and severe bleeding in the retina of both eyes and a degree of retinal detachment in both eyes.

He added those types of injuries have been seen where there has been shaking, shaking with an impact, a 'pure' impact or a "sudden crush" head injury.

Forensic Pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar told the jury that the infant had suffered one or more incidents of 'non-accidental injury'.

He said: "When I looked at the totality of the findings – in the absence of a plausible account that could explain the fractures and significant head injury – it was my opinion that the child had been subject to an incident or incidents of non-accidental injury including one that caused a significant head injury by shaking, with or without impact. I concluded the cause of death was the head injury."

Sanzone, 23, of Whitburn Close, Pendeford, denies murdering Joshua, causing or allowing his death and cruelty to a child.

Joshua's mother, Zoe Howell, 19, of the same address, faces and denies the latter two charges and is accused by the prosecution of 'turning a blind eye' to the risk of harm to her child.

The trial continues.