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| Accused mother's alcohol 'smell' | Accused mother's alcohol 'smell' |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A depressed mother who allegedly drowned her four-year-old daughter used to arrive at her childminder's house smelling of alcohol, a court has heard. | A depressed mother who allegedly drowned her four-year-old daughter used to arrive at her childminder's house smelling of alcohol, a court has heard. |
| Nursery manager Karen Gallimore said she was worried to hand Naomi Hill back to her mother, Joanne Hill, because she seemed strange at times. | |
| Ms Hill, 32, from Connah's Quay, Flintshire, allegedly drowned Naomi because she had mild cerebral palsy. | Ms Hill, 32, from Connah's Quay, Flintshire, allegedly drowned Naomi because she had mild cerebral palsy. |
| She denies murder and the trial, at Chester Crown Court, continues. | She denies murder and the trial, at Chester Crown Court, continues. |
| Mrs Gallimore, who ran the Little Monsters nursery from her home in Connah's Quay, said she was worried about Ms Hill driving. | |
| Occasionally she smelt of alcohol and on other occasions she would stare at you sometimes as though she wasn't listening to you Karen Gallimore, childminder | |
| She said: "She smelled of alcohol and looked like she had been drinking and was a little unsteady perhaps on her feet. | She said: "She smelled of alcohol and looked like she had been drinking and was a little unsteady perhaps on her feet. |
| "That's the only time I was concerned and discussed it with my husband." | "That's the only time I was concerned and discussed it with my husband." |
| Ms Hill is accused of murdering her daughter, who suffered from mild cerebral palsy, because she was embarrassed and ashamed of her daughter's condition. | Ms Hill is accused of murdering her daughter, who suffered from mild cerebral palsy, because she was embarrassed and ashamed of her daughter's condition. |
| The jury previously heard how she wanted to have Naomi adopted but was stopped by her husband Simon who doted on the girl. | The jury previously heard how she wanted to have Naomi adopted but was stopped by her husband Simon who doted on the girl. |
| 'Slurring' | 'Slurring' |
| Mrs Gallimore told the jury of eight men and four women that on 12 October, 2006, the defendant arrived at her house drunk. | |
| She added: "She had obviously had a drink. She was slurring, she was drunk. | She added: "She had obviously had a drink. She was slurring, she was drunk. |
| "It was about 8pm and all the children had gone home by then. | "It was about 8pm and all the children had gone home by then. |
| "She asked me if we could go for a drink so we went to the local pub. | "She asked me if we could go for a drink so we went to the local pub. |
| "She had been on the phone earlier that day saying she was unhappy with Simon. I just offered her a shoulder to cry on." | "She had been on the phone earlier that day saying she was unhappy with Simon. I just offered her a shoulder to cry on." |
| Mrs Gallimore handed Naomi over to Hill just hours before she was killed on 26 November, 2007. | |
| 'Malice' | 'Malice' |
| She said Ms Hill spoke ill of her husband, adding: "There was a lot of malice." | She said Ms Hill spoke ill of her husband, adding: "There was a lot of malice." |
| Prosecuting barrister Michael Chambers QC asked her: "Did you notice anything about her condition when she came to collect Naomi?" | Prosecuting barrister Michael Chambers QC asked her: "Did you notice anything about her condition when she came to collect Naomi?" |
| Mrs Gallimore answered: "Occasionally she smelt of alcohol and on other occasions she would stare at you sometimes as though she wasn't listening to you. | |
| "At other times she was really chatty but then be really abrupt and go. | "At other times she was really chatty but then be really abrupt and go. |
| "You would be talking to her and she would be staring at you, not listening." | "You would be talking to her and she would be staring at you, not listening." |
| Alyson Hockridge, Naomi's childminder from 2003 to 2006, said she refused to hand the youngster back to Ms Hill because of her drinking. | |
| Argumentative | |
| She said: "There were occasions when I wouldn't let Joanne take Naomi because she smelt of alcohol. | |
| "This was after she had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy." | |
| She added: "Sometimes she was argumentative, suffice to say she had had a drink and I didn't think it responsible for her to take Naomi. | |
| "It was my decision." | |
| Both childminders told the court they thought Ms Hill struggled to accept Naomi's disability and told them not to tell people she had cerebral palsy. | |
| On Tuesday, Mr Chambers told the jury how Ms Hill drowned her daughter in the bath, then dressed her and drove for eight hours before carrying her body into hospital. | On Tuesday, Mr Chambers told the jury how Ms Hill drowned her daughter in the bath, then dressed her and drove for eight hours before carrying her body into hospital. |
| He told the court how witnesses claimed Ms Hill, an advertising saleswoman, was "embarrassed" by her daughter, who wore callipers and had hearing difficulties, and was irritated by some of the effects of her medication. | He told the court how witnesses claimed Ms Hill, an advertising saleswoman, was "embarrassed" by her daughter, who wore callipers and had hearing difficulties, and was irritated by some of the effects of her medication. |