‘SATAN BABY JIBE JUST TEXT TALK’
AFITNESS instructor accused of murdering his adopted daughter said labelling her “Satan” in text messages was just “text talk” and “making light of the situation”.
Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, denies inflicting serious injuries on Elsie Scully-Hicks before her death, aged 18 months, in May 2016.
The toddler was taken to the University Hospital of Wales on May 25 after Scully-Hicks dialled 999, reporting that she had collapsed while he was looking after her alone at his home in Llandaff, Cardiff.
Scully-Hicks had formally adopted her with his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, 36, two weeks earlier.
Yesterday at Cardiff Crown Court, during cross-examination, Scully-Hicks, who stayed at home with Elsie while his husband worked, denied that he found looking after her stressful or that he was unable to cope.
The court previously heard neighbours heard him screaming at her when she was crying and that he had sent messages calling her “Satan dressed up in a babygro” and a “diva”.
Scully-Hicks said calling the toddler Satan was “text talk” in which he was “making light of a situation” and taken out of context with other messages in the conversation.
Mr Lewis said: “You found bedtimes with Elsie difficult.”
He said: “In the early days to establish Elsie’s routine... it was tough but we got there.”
Paramedics and police arrived at the property at 6.26pm and found Elsie not breathing, with no pulse, in the lounge.
Medics discovered she had suffered from three separate areas of bleeding on her brain, retinal bleeding, a skull fracture, three rib fractures and a leg fracture.
The cardiac arrest caused further brain injury and Elsie died in the early hours of May 29.
Elsie fractured her right leg in two places in November 2015 and suffered bruises to her head in December and January 2016, it is alleged.
Scully-Hicks was asked why Elsie’s GP and the doctor at the fracture clinic had recorded she had been using her walker, while he had told his husband and the police that she had been standing at an activity table. He agreed that they must have “misrecorded” what he said to them.
Paul Lewis QC, for the prosecution, said: “What did you do to Elsie on November 5 to fracture two of the long bones in her leg?”
Scully-Hicks said: “I did nothing to Elsie on November 5. I did nothing to Elsie ever.”
Later, the jury was read statements from friends of ScullyHicks, describing him as honest and calm.
Helen Tyres, who has known the defendant for 13 years, said he was “helpful to his parents” and family friends.
“He himself had experienced a loving home,” Mrs Tyres said.
“Whenever I saw him with his daughter he was calm and caring. I never saw him angry, and was impressed with his patience.”
Vivian Cownie, a former colleague, described him as “calm and pro-active”.
Denise Hill, who has known the defendant for eight years, said he would “go out of his way to help” people.
Scully-Hicks, of Delabole, Cornwall, denies murder.
The trial was adjourned until Monday.