Star Hobson murder trial: Accused seen on CCTV lunging at toddler

A jury in the trial of two women accused of murdering a toddler has been shown CCTV of one of the defendants lunging at the child.

Sixteen-month-old Star Hobson suffered a cardiac arrest and died in hospital on 22 September 2020.

Her mother Frankie Smith, 20, and Savannah Brockhill, 28, both from Keighley, West Yorkshire, deny murder.

A jury was shown footage from earlier in September, showing what appears to be Ms Brockhill punching the infant.

Prosecutor Alistair MacDonald told Bradford Crown Court that Ms Brockhill, Ms Smith's partner, later made internet searches for "what happens if you get winded", "can you die from being winded" and "what happens to the body if it's not getting enough oxygen".

In the footage, captured at a recycling site in Doncaster on 13 September, Ms Brockhill and Star are seen in a car.

Ms Brockhill appears to be lunging three times into the back seat where Star is sitting.

Other CCTV footage, captured the next day at Wesley Place - Star's home - shows Ms Brockhill going up a stairwell at the block of flats while carrying the child, on whose face a mark can be seen.

Other images and videos were shown in court which the prosecution suggested showed bruises and "injury" marks on Star's face, torso, legs, wrist and hand.

Mr MacDonald said Ms Smith later sent Ms Brockhill text messages asking why Star had bruising, adding "stay away from us".

The prosecutor said in another set of text messages, Ms Brockhill told her partner Star was "a very nasty and naughty child", to which Ms Smith asked: "So what shall we do then?"

Ms Brockhill replied: "She'll wreck your life. She's a brat and thinks nothing of you."

Earlier in the trial, jurors heard from the prosecution how Star died from "utterly catastrophic injuries" after repeated assaults by the couple.

She had been either punched, kicked or stamped on and she had "suffered a number of significant injuries at different times".

The toddler was found "apparently lifeless, pale" and wearing only a nappy when paramedics arrived at the couple's flat.

Star died an hour later in hospital, Mr MacDonald said.

A post-mortem examination found lacerations on the child's internal organs and bruising over her lungs and abdomen, jurors heard.

Mr MacDonald said social workers, who were aware of Star's case, were "kept away" from her.

The trial continues.

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