London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Leiland Corkill: Neighbours 'heard child's screams' through walls

Leiland Corkill: Neighbours 'heard child's screams' through walls

Neighbours of a woman accused of murdering a one-year-old baby heard the screams of a child, a jury was told.

Laura Castle was trying to adopt Leiland Corkill when he died in January 2021 after suffering brain injuries at her home in Barrow, Cumbria.

Mrs Castle, 38, admits manslaughter but denies murder. Her husband Scott Castle denies allowing the child's death.

Preston Crown Court was told one neighbour heard a loud bang on the day Leiland was fatally injured.


'Hear horrible things'


The Castles, who both deny an additional charge of child cruelty, moved into their semi-detached home in August 2018, jurors were told.

Leiland, who had been taken into local authority care at birth, joined them in August 2020 ahead of the proposed adoption.

Their immediate neighbours, the Lloyd family, said they heard Mrs Castle frequently shouting, slapping noises and a child screaming through the walls of their home.

Another neighbour, Peyton Murphy, said she heard Mrs Castle shouting "countless" times, "mainly just a lot of swearing", adding: "You would hear the most horrible things."

Laura and Scott Castle are on trial at Preston Crown Court


Jane Lloyd said she would hear "frequent" shouting and swearing over the sound of her own television, as well as "the sound of like a slap followed by crying".

The regularity of the noises increased in the run-up to Leiland's death, the jury was told.

"The shouting was nearly everyday and what sounded like smacking was two to three times a week," she said.


'Toys thrown'


Prosecutor Michael Brady QC asked if Mrs Lloyd ever reported her concerns to the authorities, to which she replied: "No, that's one thing that's not sitting right at all."

When asked why not, she said the Castles would have known it was her and she wanted to avoid an "awkward situation with the neighbours".

Mrs Lloyd's daughter, Ellie Lloyd, said she would hear Mrs Castle "shouting" three or four times a week for between five and 10 minutes a time.

She said on 4 January, two days before Leiland was injured, she heard the defendant shouting and screaming and "toys being thrown".

On 6 January she said she heard a "loud bang as if something was being dropped on the floor".

Mrs Castle called an ambulance at about 08:15 GMT and Leiland was taken to hospital, first to Furness General Hospital then Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool where he died.

She said the boy had fallen from the sofa but medical staff were sceptical and raised the alarm, prosecutors said.

The trial continues.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×