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Concern about mother's mood before baby 'shaking death'

Tess de la Mare
BBC News, West of England
BBC Two images side by side - one of Jack Wheeler, a man in his early 30s with short brown hair who is wearing a grey checked blazer and a white shirt. The other image is of Melissa Wilband, who is walking through a car park with the fur hood of her black coat up and her arms folded. She has long red hair. Parked cars can be seen behind her.BBC
Jack Wheeler and Melissa Wilband deny causing the death of Lexi Wilband

A health visitor has told a court of concerns about a mother's mood before her four-month-old baby was allegedly fatally shaken.

Deirdre Delafield told the Bristol Crown Court trial that mother Melissa Wilband, 28, had been given advice about contacting a mental health support service.

Ms Wilband's daughter Lexi suffered bleeding on her brain in 2020, which prosecutors allege was likely caused by "violent" shaking.

Ms Wilband, from Newent, Gloucestershire, and then-partner Jack Wheeler, 31, from Ledbury, Herefordshire, deny charges of manslaughter and of causing or allowing death.

Lexi was found "floppy and unresponsive" by paramedics at her home in Newent in the Forest of Dean on 12 April 2020.

She died at Bristol Children's Hospital six days later.

Older blood present on the scans indicated she had been shaken on at least one earlier occasion, the court heard.

On Wednesday, the second day of the five-week trial, the jury heard that Ms Wilband had engaged with midwives throughout her pregnancy and with health visitors after Lexi's birth.

Ms Delafield told the court she had been concerned about the defendants' living conditions – they were staying in Ms Wilband's parents' front room – as well as the mother's mental health.

A brass plaque on a sand stone wall reading The Crown Court. A coat of arms is visible on a wall in the background.
The trial at Bristol Crown Court is expected to last five weeks

Ms Delafield said: "I still had concerns about the instability of the situation, the housing situation, the slightly chaotic lifestyle, the inability to manage her finances and her mood, which could be a bit up and down."

The court heard Mrs Delafield said neither the two defendants, nor any family members, had raised concerns with her about the child.

Community midwife Kate Clifford told the jury her concerns centred on the two defendants' living arrangements.

"The only issue I was concerned about was the housing situation and I wanted to be able to support Melissa in her housing needs," Ms Clifford said.

'Cocaine abuse'

Lexi was born in the early hours of 30 November 2019 and mother and baby were sent home, to Ms Wilband's parents' house, the same day after an uneventful birth.

In February 2020, Ms Wilband moved into a purpose-built council house, with Mr Wheeler initially visiting regularly before moving in during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Ms Clifford told the court that during postpartum visits she had no concerns about Lexi's health, adding that she was feeding well and gaining weight.

Jane Osborne KC, prosecuting, asked the witness if she had any concerns about the baby's "presentation or her appearance or the way she interacted with anybody?"

"No," Ms Clifford replied.

The jury was previously told the two defendants had a history of cocaine abuse.

They were also previously told that Ms Wilband had told Mr Wheeler throughout her pregnancy that he was the biological father, despite this not being the case.

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