Jonas Hankin QC has opened a case in which it is alleged that a woman murdered her newborn baby having concealed both the pregnancy and the birth.

The prosecution say that Hannah Cobley, 29, of Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire, gave birth to a female baby in an outside toilet at her parents’ farm, silenced her by forcing something down her throat, assaulted her causing severe head injuries and then disposed of her body in a plastic bag which she hid on the farm..

Post-mortem examinations revealed the baby had suffered three skull fractures, surviving for two hours before dying, Mr Hankin told the jury at Leicester Crown Court.

The birth was only discovered after Cobley collapsed on a trip to Skegness with her aunt because of a haemorrhage and medical staff at Leicester Royal Infirmary became aware of the pregnancy

Cobley denies murder.

The trial continues.

 To read more on this please visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-48202845

Jonas Hankin QC is a member of the Crime Group at No5 Barristers’ Chambers. To read his profile, visit: https://www.no5.com/people/barristers/jonas-hankin-qc/crime/