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'Shouts heard' at dead boy's flat | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A man was heard shouting loudly in a Dundee flat the day it is alleged a toddler was attacked so severely that he later died, a court has heard. | |
Robert Cunningham, 23, denies murdering 23-month-old Brandon Muir last March. Brandon's mother Heather Boyd, also 23, denies culpable homicide. | |
A witness told the High Court in Glasgow that the man was shouting but "nothing was coming back at him". | |
Earlier, the court heard that Ms Boyd had once threatened to sell a child. | |
Heard swearing | |
Ms Boyd was said to have made the comment at the flat in Balunie Crescent where she lived with Brandon. | |
Childrens' worker Joseph Hepburn told the court that he was a regular visitor to the home of one of Ms Boyd's neighbours. | |
Prosecutor James Wolffe QC asked the 53-year-old if he had heard any voices in Ms Boyd's flat. | Prosecutor James Wolffe QC asked the 53-year-old if he had heard any voices in Ms Boyd's flat. |
He replied: "Just Heather shouting at the bairn, more or less." | He replied: "Just Heather shouting at the bairn, more or less." |
Mr Wolffe asked: "How did you know it was the child?" | Mr Wolffe asked: "How did you know it was the child?" |
Mr Hepburn replied: "Things she said. The main one that I remember was the way that she swore at the bairn and [said] that the child was going to be sold." | Mr Hepburn replied: "Things she said. The main one that I remember was the way that she swore at the bairn and [said] that the child was going to be sold." |
Mr Cunningham's counsel, Tim Niven-Smith, asked if the comments had led to him taking any action. | Mr Cunningham's counsel, Tim Niven-Smith, asked if the comments had led to him taking any action. |
Mr Hepburn replied: "It was like you wanted to go up and say to Heather: 'Do you want us to take the child for an hour until you calm down?' But we never did that." | Mr Hepburn replied: "It was like you wanted to go up and say to Heather: 'Do you want us to take the child for an hour until you calm down?' But we never did that." |
Another of Ms Boyd's neighbours told the court she heard a man shouting on 15 March. The next day Brandon was pronounced dead at Ninewells Hospital. | |
Marlene Watt said: "It was not right, it was really strong. It was different and really loud. It would not stop and just kept going on and on." | |
The 39-year-old said that "nothing was coming back at him". | |
Ms Watt added that she was "scared" by the voice and was so upset she texted her sister about it. | |
Ms Boyd's QC Donald Findlay asked her: "He was dominating whoever was present?" | |
She replied: "Yes." | |
Medical help | Medical help |
Mr Cunningham is accused of murder by assaulting Brandon so severely last March at two flats in Balunie Crescent that he died the following day in hospital. | |
Ms Boyd is charged with culpable homicide by failing to get her son medical help as a result of Mr Cunningham's alleged assault. | Ms Boyd is charged with culpable homicide by failing to get her son medical help as a result of Mr Cunningham's alleged assault. |
The pair also face a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008. | The pair also face a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008. |
Ms Boyd is accused of assaulting her son at Douglas Family Centre in Dundee on 5 March last year. | Ms Boyd is accused of assaulting her son at Douglas Family Centre in Dundee on 5 March last year. |
Mr Cunningham is also charged with repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating another young boy at properties in Dundee between October 2007 and March 2008. | |
The pair deny all charges. | The pair deny all charges. |
The trial, before Judge John Morris QC, continues. | The trial, before Judge John Morris QC, continues. |