Jordan Monaghan: Man denies killing son at pool

A father has denied killing his son in a cubicle at a public swimming pool.

Jordan Monaghan, 30, is accused of smothering 21-month-old Logan at the Waves pool in Blackburn in August 2013.

It came eight months after he allegedly smothered his daughter Ruby, aged 24 days, at the family home on New Year's Day 2013, Preston Crown Court heard.

The digger driver, of Belgrave Close, Blackburn, who is also accused of the murder of his partner Evie Adams, 23, six years later, denies all charges.

Duncan Smith QC, prosecuting, suggested Mr Monaghan killed the children when his then partner - the mother of his children Laura Gray - told him their relationship was over.

The jury heard that on the day Mr Monaghan took Logan to the swimming pool, his relationship with Miss Gray was on the rocks.

Logan appeared, "happy, talking, behaving normally", and CCTV showed them at reception at 14:06 GMT, then leaving the swimming centre 27 minutes later.

Mr Monaghan said he got changed but then realised he had forgotten his son's swimming cap so they could not go in the pool.

Mr Smith said CCTV showed Mr Monaghan leaving at 14:33 GMT with the rain cover pulled over a pushchair to disguise the fact his son was dead.

When he returned home he told Miss Gray that Logan was sleeping, then left the property, telling her to wake him up, to ensure he was "putting distance" between him and the discovery that the toddler was dead, the court heard.

Mr Smith said: "Logan's death achieved what you wanted to achieve, your relationship with Laura Gray continued."

Mr Monaghan replied: "No, our relationship would have continued anyway."

Mr Smith said six years later, Evie Adams told him their relationship was over, a relationship she described as "toxic" in messages recovered from her phone.

Mr Monaghan has admitted lying to police about trying to get hold of illegal prescription drugs from WhatsApp and Snapchat contacts and a WhatsApp group called UK Tablets.

But Mr Monaghan said the drugs were for himself and he denied giving Miss Adams any.

In the days before her death Miss Adams sent a text to a friend saying she could not do anything for herself and felt like she was "just dying and weak".

She also became confused, struggled with her balance and could only focus her vision when using one eye - an effect of diazepam, Mr Smith suggested.

Two days before her death Miss Adams sent a message to Mr Monaghan saying: "I took all them tablets you gave me".

Mr Smith said: "What were the tablets you were giving her?"

"Paracetamol," Mr Monaghan replied.

Mr Smith said on the night Miss Adams died, Mr Monaghan again "made himself scarce" by leaving the house they shared in Hazel Close, Blackburn.

Mr Monaghan denies three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of cruelty to a third child, who cannot be identified, all between 1 January 2013 and 24 October 2019.

The trial continues.

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