Motherhood 'a burden' for mum accused of murdering three-year-old daughter, court told

Catherine Priest said her sister Nicola had struggled with the challenges of raising a child and would "moan" about parental duties such as feeding her.

Nicola Priest and boyfriend Callum Redfern are accused of murdering Kaylee-Jayde Priest, who was was found dead at a flat near Birmingham last year.

Priest, 22, from Edgbaston, and Redfern, 21, from Dudley, deny all charges.

Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court, Catherine Priest said their mother was often forced to step in to help look after Kaylee when she was a baby.

She recalled an incident where their mother became angry when Nicola took Kaylee to a park without a coat to meet a boy and stayed out until around 11pm. The row led to Nicola leaving the family home and cutting them off from her daughter, the court was told.

Catherine also told how Nicola sent her a message saying Kaylee had "smashed her eye into a door" and "looks like she's been smacked up", ending the message with a laughing emoji.

She told the jury when she called Redfern on the day Kaylee was found dead in an attempt to find out what had happened he denied being at the flat the night before, when a party was held, and said "no, you're lying" when told the youngster was dead.

But the court was later told a different version of events by Mr Gurdeep Garcha QC, defending Redfern, who suggested he had been there until around 8pm. Catherine said Redfern was "stuttery" on the phone during the call. Kaylee had been sick at least twice the night before she was found dead, the court heard.

Mr Garcha put to Catherine: "You didn't think she was in the right place to be having a child? She was immature and not really able to look after herself, is that fair?"

"Yes, that's fair," Catherine replied.

Mr Garcha continued: "The burden fell on your mum to help look after the child. Would it be right that Nicola would hand over to mum? She didn't want to do it?"

Catherine replied: "You could say that, yeah."

Kaylee was her "usual self" on video calls shortly before her death and was "happy, bubbly and jumping around", Catherine said.

She added she had never seen her sister physically harm her daughter and that Nicola had never complained about Redfern's behaviour towards herself or Kaylee.

Only after she was arrested did Nicola tell her sister that Redfern had hit Kaylee, the court was told.

Priest, of Poplar Avenue, Edgbaston, Birmingham, and Redfern, of Temple Street, Gornal, deny murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.