Nichola Haddock: 'I was 100 per cent sure that Craig was innocent'. Pic: © Spindrift
A new mother continued to have a sexual relationship with her former partner after he was accused of murdering their child because she "just didn't believe he was guilty", a court has been told.
Nichola Haddock, whose five-month-old daughter, Abbie, died on February 8, 2008, broke down in tears as she gave evidence at The High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday.
She admitted that she had continued to meet murder accused Craig Jamieson despite a bail order that banned them from having any contact.
Ms Haddock, 29, told defence QC Robbie Watson: "I stood by him. At the time I was 100 per cent sure that Craig was innocent. I thought that someone was going to come to me and say it was something medical and what the prosecution was saying wasn't true."
She revealed that, hours after Abbie's death, she told police that Jamieson was "a loving, doting father".
On the second day of Jamieson's trial, the jury was told by Mr Watson that after her death it was discovered that Abbie had a skull fracture of "uncertain age."
When asked what she thought could have caused this, Ms Haddock said: "A forceps delivery could have caused a fractured skull. I believed it could have been one of the reasons."
The court had earlier heard that Ms Haddock was at a lecture at Glasgow Caledonian University when she received a phone call from Jamieson telling her their daughter was unwell. She then returned to the family home, in Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.
The court heard that Abbie also had a fractured rib. Ms Haddock said she thought she might have caused this when she gave her daughter CPR before she was rushed to hospital.
It was put to Ms Haddock that she had not phoned home to check on her daughter on the day she died, but Jamieson had phoned her on numerous occasions. Mr Watson said to her: "You didn't agree with Craig when he said you should get an ambulance." She replied: "I thought she was just sick. She was often sick after her bottle.
"Craig never said she was extremely unwell. I left my class and rushed straight home."
Mr Watson told her that in a police statement she said: "It was just Craig, just Abbie a sickie baby.
"Craig sounded worried, but he always sounded worried."
Prosecutor Lesley Shand, QC, asked what she thought when it became clear from a post-mortem examination report that Ms Haddock;'s baby daughter had not died of a medical condition, but inflicted injuries. She replied: "My daughter had been murdered by her father."
Ms Shand then asked Ms Haddock: "Are you responsible for her bruising, rib fracture and fractured skull?" and she replied: "No. I loved her. She was my everything. I never hurt her once."
Earlier, Ms Haddock had told the court that Abbie was frequently sick after feeding, was not putting on weight, was often constipated and was easily bruised.
When told by defence QC Mr Watson: "You were preoccupied with the illness of Abbie when in fact she was well," she replied: "Not to me, not to Craig, not to his family. It wasn't just me, he knows that."
She then pointed directly at Jamieson sitting in the dock and sobbed as she said: "You know that, Craig."
Jamieson, 30, of Drumchapel, Glasgow, denies murdering Abbie by inflicting blunt force trauma to her head and body. He has lodged a special defence of incrimination against Ms Haddock. He also denies a charge of assaulting the baby to her severe injury on January 6, 2008.
The trial, before temporary judge Alastair Stewart, continues.
