Leiland-James Corkill inquest: couple's dishonesty led to baby's death

Leiland-James Corkill died on January 7, 2021, after suffering a catastrophic head injury at the home of Laura Castle in Barrow-in-Furness.

Castle, who wanted to adopt the one-year-old child with her husband, later admitted manslaughter, but after a trial at Preston Crown Court, a jury convicted her of murder. Her husband was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Laura Castle was jailed for the murder of Leiland-James Corkill

An inquest held into the death of Leiland-James, originally from Whitehaven, found that the Castles were ‘never truthful about their situation’ and had not disclosed medical and financial information to social services.

Coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw found the failure of Laura Castle and her husband to provide truthful information to social services was a significant causative factor which led to his death.

The couple failed to declare they were having financial difficulties after Mr Castle had been placed on furlough and was unable to do overtime at work during the coronavirus pandemic. Laura Castle’s worsening arthritis, mental health issues and increasing alcohol use were not disclosed.

They also failed to ask for help for the difficulties they were facing in caring for Leiland-James and told their social worker that things were better than they were.

Leiland-James had been removed from his birth mother, Laura Corkill, just days after he was born in December 2019. He went into foster care and was then placed with Laura Castle and her husband in August 2020.

During the inquest, Dr Shaw described the Castles as a 'rogue couple' and said the majority of people who want to adopt a child, do so 'honestly' and 'in good faith'.

He ‘failed to understand’ why the couple didn’t ask for help.

The coroner also noted the effect of the Covid restrictions on social services and that contact was encouraged by telephone or Skype.  

Penny Hindle, a social worker for the Castles, picked up on a ‘lack of joy’ about the adoption but had no reason to suspect any injury would be caused to Leiland-James.

Although Ms Hindle said she would not have supported an adoption at that time, she did not have any concerns about the child's safety while in the Castles’ care.

An independent review found council procedures had been followed but ‘holes’ were identified in the assessment process and how much the system relies on the self-reporting of medical and financial information.  

Leiland-James, with his birth mum, Laura Corkill (Image: Archive)

Nicki Pettitt, an independent safeguarding consultant who carried out the review, said she ‘genuinely believed’ there had been national learning following the death of Leiland-James and there had been changes.

In his concluding statement, Dr Shaw said the single causative factor was the Castles' failure to fully disclose their circumstances, allowing Leiland-James to be placed with them and then their failure to ask for help with the difficulties they were facing caring for Leiland-James or asking for him to be taken back into foster care.

The coroner concluded that Leiland-James was subjected to a violent assault by Laura Castle and died in hospital after sustaining a severe traumatic head injury, likely caused by shaking him.

Dr Shaw concluded that Leiland-James was unlawfully killed.