West Midlands couple accused of killing baby had seemingly 'volatile' relationship, jury told

The second day of the trial of Amy Clarke and Sean Jefferson saw a former police intelligence analyst cross examined by prosecutor Harpreet Sandhu who read out texts exchanged by the two in the months leading up to the baby's birth.

Rebecca Evans previously worked for Staffordshire Police and studied phone records of Clarke and Jefferson in the months leading up to the death of the premature baby, on March 29 2022.

Darcy-Leigh suffered a 'catastrophic' brain injury after being repeatedly assaulted by her parents Clarke and Jefferson, the prosecution says.

Text messages read out to the jury on Monday between the two described an argumentative relationship, with Jefferson frequently accusing Clarke of drug taking, alcohol use when pregnant and sleeping with other men.

In one, sent in September 2021 Jefferson said "I ain't having a baby with you."

Another one in the opposite direction asked him if he was going to attend a scan on the baby to which he said: "You are getting rid of it," to which she said "No." Jefferson replied: "You told me you were booked in," to which Clarke replied "No I'm not".

The text messages were frequently insulting and carried extreme expletives, mainly from Jefferson to Clark, who was working in a chip shop along with her mother whilst she was pregnant and was often concerned about the way she was feeling, with Jefferson apparently showing little concern.

He frequently accused her of drinking whilst being pregnant, one of the text messages threatening to put her six feet under if she killed the baby through drink.

Clarke went into premature labour at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield after being admitted with pains on February 19, 2022 - Darcy-Leigh was born by caesarean section the next day weighing just four pounds.

 Text messages were exchanged between mother and father whilst she was in the hospital were again explicit and hostile in nature.

Opening the case on Friday, Mr Sandhu alleged Clarke 'struggled' after the birth of her daughter and staff at Good Hope also noted she was 'tired.'

Clarke discharged herself from hospital on February 23 2022, three days after her daughter was born, saying to hospital staff she had 'support at home' from Jefferson and her mother.

Baby Darcy-Leigh died just over a month later and was found to have 47 rib fractures as well as fractures to both of her legs.

Clarke, aged 34, of Enots Close, Lichfield, and Jefferson, aged 35, of Birch Court, Walsall, but both formerly of Burntwood, deny murder and causing or allowing Darcy-Leigh's death.

The case continues.