A 16-month-old baby was murdered when a young mum

A 16-month-old baby was murdered when a young mum left the tot with her boyfriend for just a few minutes, the Old Bailey heard.

Brian Buchanan, 30, either strangled or stifled little Jamie Sheridan Barden (corr) and then claimed he had found him lying lifeless like a ‘rag doll,’ the jury heard.

The accused killer and his girlfriend, tiny Karrie (corr) Sheridan tried to revive Jamie, but he had turned blue was beyond help when paramedics arrived.

Doctors intially found nothing suspicious in the death, even though there were bruises to the baby’s head.

But a post mortem revealed tiny burst blood vessels in the baby’s eyes were consistent with asphyxiation.

The pathologist, Dr Paula Lanas concluded that Jamie had been throttled and another pathologist, Dr Ian West, found he had been suffocated.

‘The pathologists agree there was here firstly no natural cause of death,’ said prosecutor Mr Stephen Kramer, QC.

‘Those bruises which you will hear about on Jamie’s head were consistent with fingertip and thumb grip marks.

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Mr Kramer added: ‘There were no accidental injuries which could have caused Jamie’s death.

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The barrister told the jury: ‘Any case where the allegation is murder, as it is here, will inevitably have undertones of sadness and distress.

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But he asked the jury to view the case ‘without sympathy for any party and with as much detachment as you can muster.

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The court heard Jamie’s mother had separated from the boy’s mother because he found it difficult coping with a family.

In early 1998, she set up home with Buchanan at (9a) Old Road, Lewisham, when Jamie was about four months old.

Mr Kramer said Jamie was ‘a wholly normal and energetic toddler’ but did have the habit of headbutting doors, toys and people.

‘It may be suggested that some of the bruises that were later found on Jamie’s head might have been caused in that way,’ said counsel.

‘The Crown’s case is the majority of the bruises were caused not by Jamie himself, but by gripping on the face and head by fingers.

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On the day Jamie died, the couple were decorating the flat to prepare for a week long visit from Buchanan’s relatives.

Jamie was in the bathroom as his mother cleaned paint stains from the bath, but he was in a boisterous mood and she called for Buchanan to carry him into the the baby’s bedroom.

‘She heard the defendant take Jamie into his own bedroom.

About something like ten minutes went by,’ said Mr Kramer.

‘This ladies and gentlemen, the Crown say, is a crucial period of time.

It was during that period of time that we say Jamie lost his life.

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After throttling the baby, Buchanan went into the kitchen to fetch him a bottle, said Mr Kramer.

‘He went back into Jamie’s bedroom.

The next thing the mother heard was the defendant shouting Jamie’s name.

‘She saw the defendant in the living room with Jamie in his arms.

She realised that it was clear there was something seriously wrong with Jamie, who was pale and limp.

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‘From that moment on, the couple did everything they could to save Jamie’s life.

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Paramedics tried to revive Jamie with oxygen and electric shock treatment, but he was pronounced dead at 8.

15pm on June 13, 1998.

A consultant paediatrician at Lewisham hospital found found ‘nothing alarmingly suspicious’ over the death but routine statements were taken five days later.

Buchanan told police he had been playing normally with Jamie before he went to get him his bottle.

He then returned to the room to find him lying on the floor.

‘I immediately sensed something was wrong.

He was totally floppy like a rag doll,’ said Buchanan.

‘I noticed that he had blood on his lower lip and what appeared to be two small marks on his tongue, as if he had bitten it.

‘I checked for a pulse.

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I could not find a pulse.

‘I realised things were seriously wrong and I picked Jamie up.

I shook him several times, calling out his name but there was no response.

‘I knelt on the floor with Jamie in my arms and dialed 999.

By this time Karrie had come into the lounge and was obviously panicking.

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By time Buchanan was making his statement, Dr Lanas had carried out the post mortem and the local police and Child Protection Team had been informed.

‘She came to the pretty prompt conclusion that these were non-accidental and deliberate injuries,’ said Mr Kramer.

‘Dr Lanas’s conclusion was that the child had been strangled.

Dr West’s concluded that that the child was suffocated.

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Buchanan denies murder.

The trial continues.

ends