Wednesday 29 November 2017
Nell Dunn
BBC Cumbria
It's been a day dominated by the inquest into the death of the Barrow toddler Poppi Worthington as her father gave evidence and refused to answer nearly 70 questions.
There will be more tomorrow as he is again giving evidence.
We'll be back from 08:00 with this and all the rest of the day's news.
Thank you.
The father of Poppi Worthington has appeared at her inquest but declined to answer nearly 70 questions.
Paul Worthington’s appearance before the coroner in Kendal was delayed for four hours as his legal team asked for him to be protected from view by screens.
Senior coroner David Roberts ruled Mr Worthington should be screened from the public but not the press.
He arrived with a police escort and had his head and face covered as he was rushed into County Hall.
Image source, PAA family court judge previously ruled that, on the balance of probabilities, Mr Worthington did sexually assault Poppi at their home in Barrow before her death on 12 December 2012.
Once Mr Worthington started giving evidence, he declined to answer the vast majority of questions citing rule 22 of the Coroner’s Inquest Rules 2013.
He did confirm that his relationship with Poppi’s mother began in 2009 and was “on and off”, with her disliking the amount of time he spent watching sport and gambling.
Alison Hewitt, the counsel for the coroner, asked him a series of questions about the events of the day before Poppi’s death.
He replied to each: “I refer to my previous statements, I rely on my right not to answer under rule 22.”
Mr Worthington also refused to answer questions about whether he was watching pornography on the night before Poppi died.
Image source, Julia QuenzlerPoppi’s mother, who cannot be identified, left the court after a series of Mr Worthington’s refusals to answer.
The inquest, which started on Monday, is due to last three weeks.
Paul Worthington refused to answer nearly 70 questions as he gave evidence at the inquest into his daughter's death.
The inquest has now adjourned for the day and will resume tomorrow morning when he'll be asked further questions.
Paul Worthington has been quizzed about whether he was watching pornography on the night before Poppi died.
Ms Hewitt asked him about statements he had given about going to bed that night with the laptop. She asked him what the laptop was being used for, and he declined to answer.
Ms Hewitt then read him what he had said in a previous hearing at the high court.
When asked what he was looking at, he had said football results, Facebook and then “X-rated adult stuff for 10 minutes before going to sleep”.
Image source, Julia QuenzlerMs Hewitt asked the nature of the pornography, he refused to answer.
The inquest has previously heard Poppi’s mother got the laptop at about 02:00 and took it downstairs with her.
She also asked him what happened to the laptop, he declined to answer.
Ms Hewitt asked him if it was right as he had previously said that he gave it away to a friend because it was not working properly. He declined to answer.
Mr Worthington was asked if he was the only person who could account for what happened upstairs before he ran down with Poppi shortly before 06:00 on 12 December. He declined to answer.
Poppi Worthington's mother has walked out of the inquest as Paul Worhington continues to exercise his right not to answer the vast majority of questions.
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News Online
Alison Hewitt, counsel for the coroner, has queried Paul Worthington on conflicting statements he had given about what and when he had fed the family.
He again declined to answer.
Mr Worthington also refused to answer questions about who put Poppi to bed.
Ms Hewitt read a statement from him in which he had said he changed Poppi’s nappy and put her pyjamas on before her mother put her in bed at about 19:00.
In the statement, he also said: “There was nothing unusual or untoward.”
When asked if that was what he had said, Mr Worthington declined to answer.
In another statement he said he had put Poppi in her cot.
When asked about that by Ms Hewitt, he declined to answer.
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News Online
Paul Worthington continues to exercise his right not to answer questions at the inquest of his daughter's death.
Referring still to previous statements Mr Worthington had made, Ms Hewitt asked if it was right Poppi had seemed sleepier than normal during her morning nap.
The inquest has previously heard she would usually sleep for about an hour but on 11 December slept for about about four hours and had to be woken by her mother. Mr Worthington said he did not wish to answer.
He also refused to answer if Poppi had seemed under the weather but was still playing normally.
Ms Hewitt then asked Mr Worthington if he could remember his daughter being sat in a high chair and giving a loud cry as if she was in discomfort. He declined to answer.
She also asked him if had made her scrambled egg and sausages for dinner as he has previously said. He declined to answer.
Paul Worthington has been asked a series of questions about the morning routine on 11 December, the day before Poppi died.
He replied to each: “I refer to my previous statements, I rely on my right not to answer under rule 22.”
Ms Hewitt read a previous statement he had given in which he said he got Poppi out of bed and took her downstairs. He said she was playing normally and seemed fine.
Asked if that was true, Mr Worthington repeated his rule 22 line.
He was then asked more about the lunchtime period of 11 December.
Ms Hewitt read another previous statement in which he said Poppi went for a nap in her cot at 10:00 and her mother went out to buy curtains and groceries. He also said he enjoyed gambling and tended to watch sports from noon onwards. Again, he declined to answer.
So far he's declined to answer 13 questions, quoting rule 22. The coroner has told him he can use a shorter phrase. He’s now responding with “I wish not to answer.”
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News Online
Paul Worthington says Poppi was “generally fit as a fiddle", an inquest has heard.
He said she was a good sleeper who would sleep through the night and was usually the first of the household to wake up.
Alison Hewitt, counsel for the coroner, asked him if he, who was sleeping in a room next door, normally heard Poppi when she woke up.
He again declined to answer under rule 22.
Poppi’s mother previously told the inquest the child would usually rub her bottle along the bars of her cot and shout “mum” when she woke up.
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News Online
Paul Worthington has admitted he was in an "on and off" relationship with Poppi's mother, sometimes living together and other times apart.
Mr Worthington was also asked if it was right Poppi’s mother did not like the amount of time he spent watching sport and gambling.
He said: “Yes.”
The coroner also heard Mr Worthington had some form of obsessive compulsory disorder around cleaning.
The inquest then heard the birth of Poppi was “unplanned” and he had a vasectomy in 2012.
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News Online
Paul Worthington’s first response to his first question at the inquest into the death of his daughter Poppi was to decline to answer.
The first question Mr Worthington was asked was about when his relationship with Poppi’s mother began.
Alison Hewitt, counsel for the coroner, asked him if it is right their relationship began in 2009. He replied: “I refer to my previous statements, I rely on my rights not to answer that under rule 22.”
Rule 22 of the Coroner’s Inquest Rules 2013 allows a witness to decline to answer a question if it would incriminate them.
The coroner said Mr Worthington could not use rule 22 for all questions, adding: “In terms of scene setting questions you must answer.”
She asked him again, he said: “Yes.”
Detectives investigating an incident outside a Bristol nightclub involving cricketer Ben Stokes have passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision on charging, Avon and Somerset Police said.
Image source, PAIf you're thinking of heading out on to the fells today, here's the forecast:
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News Online
Poppi Worthington’s father will be hidden from the public by a screen when he gives evidence at his daughter’s inquest, a coroner has ruled.
But senior coroner David Roberts, sitting in Kendal, said Paul Worthington should still be visible to the media as representatives of the public.
His decision followed an application by Mr Worthington’s legal team for Mr Worthington to only be seen by the coroner and advocates.
Image source, Family PhotoMr Roberts said we should “recognise we are in the 21st Century” and the “direction of travel is for more and more open justice”.
Mr Roberts said Mr Worthington was an “ordinary member of the public” without any court orders protecting his identity from being revealed.
Mr Roberts added: “I fully acknowledge that anyone accused of acts as he was is going to feel under pressure from social media (and) the public and is doubtless fearful of some reprisals.”
But he also said the media are the “eyes and ears” of the nation.
A new date has been set for the trial of four schoolboys who deny raping a 15-year-old girl in Workington.
Earlier this month, the boys went on trial at Carlisle Crown Court. However, that hearing was halted last Thursday after judge Peter Davies was taken ill.
A jury of seven women and five men was then formally discharged on Monday.
A new trial date has been listed for 8 January and will take place at the city court in front of Judge James Adkin, and is due to last two weeks.
Cumbria will stay mostly dry and sunny. It will feel cold in a brisk northerly wind. Cloud might develop at times.
Highs of 5C (41F).
You can see a detailed weather forecast for where you live here.
Problems at a Cumbrian academy school have become so bad that the pupils say their "futures are being destroyed".
The pupils have written a letter outlining their concerns about the Bright Tribe Trust, which runs the Whitehaven Academy.
The teachers have also written a letter, saying that the site is unsafe, and that water pours into the building when it rains.
The teaching union, the NUT, is calling for a series of six one-day strikes this winter at the academy - which has been in special measures for a year.
The Trust has given a written statement to the BBC saying it is aware of problems with the school's building, which stem from a lack of investment before the Trust took over.
It says improvements are under way, and this has been recognised in a recent Ofsted inspection, external, which said the school is taking "effective action".
BBC News Travel
Hardknott Pass is closed today because of icy conditions. The council say it's likely to remain closed for the rest of the week.
We'll keep you updated.
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Clare Fallon
BBC reporter
The lawyer acting for Cumbria Police says they are taking a "neutral" view on whether Paul Worthington should be screened while giving evidence.
But Caroline Jones says there are “operational sensitivities” and “any description or updated photographs may "undo the work done (to ensure his safety)”.
Action is also being taken by catering and security staff employed by a contractor.
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