11:25KEY EVENT
Day two of murder trial
We have resumed on the second day of the trial and the first witness is Leigh-Anne Bradley, the defendant’s landlady in August 2016.
She said Porton had rented her property in Willenhall near Walsall, before moving out in around November 2017.
She had Lexi at that time and was heavily pregnant with Scarlett..
Ms Bradley said: ”She asked me to look after the children. It could be twice a week or three or four times a week. It could be from an hour to all day.
“Sometimes I would look after them in the evening. There were others she asked to help.”
Asked what Polton was doing while she was looking after the children she said: “It could be for food shopping or a job interview. She was also doing a photo-shoot for modelling. She was building a career.”
11:31
Mum 'swore at kids'
Ms Bradley said Polton would sometimes get frustrated and swore at her children.
She said: “They would cry and not always do what she asked them to do. She would tell them to shut the *advertiser censored** up or she would give them something to cry for.”
On one occasion Lexi had a temper tantrum and her mum pulled her up by one arm and told her to “get the *advertiser censored** up from the floor.”
The landlady said after a while they had a falling out and the defendant left her property.
In cross examination, Ms Bradley said over the summer months the defendant would visit her mother Sharon Pretty.
She said when she looked after the children it was often an arrangement made on the day.
She said the main reason she looked after the children was to allow Polton to go shopping in Wolverhampton.
11:40
Mum 'showed aggression to kids'
Ms Bradley said there were times she would look after the children on her own and sometimes with the defendant’s mother.
The shopping trips would be a couple of hours, she said.
“It would be an hour or two or sometimes all day depending on what Louise was doing.,” she said.
Sometimes she would get someone to look after Scarlett while she did the nursery collect, she said.
”There were several days a week when she had no help at all?” suggested defence counsel Andrew Smith QC.
“That’s not true,” she replied.
Ms Bradley said she did swear and show aggression to the children.
”She did not handle the children inappropriately?”asked Mr Smith.
“Yes she did.” she answered
11:50
'No concerns about kids' appearance'
The landlady said there had been a dispute about her rented property which was a “significant” factor in them no longer being friends.
Ms Bradley said the children were never any trouble and she had no concerns about their appearance.
In re-examination she confirmed that on occasions she had looked after the children all day.
Suzanne Lee, a housing officer in Rugby, said she first had contact with Polton in September 17 when she was living in Walsall..
She said she later understood she was living with her sister and was going to move into Parkside Guest House.
On January 8 Ms Lee said she called Polton in relation to moving to another address and she attended the council offices the following day and was handed some keys.
12:02
'Almost like someone had lost their goldfish'
The charges against Porton allege she murdered Lexi on January 15 2018 and Scarlett on February 1 2018.
Porton visited the housing office again on February 5 and they had a conversation about accommodation, said Miss Lee.
“She (Polton) was emotionless given the situation that had just taken place. I asked her what she would like to do with the furniture. She yawned and said ‘I don’t mind,’” she said.
”There was no emotion. It is such unusual circumstances. It was almost like someone had lost their goldfish.
“Everyone deals with grief in different ways.”
When cross examined she said: “I would find it difficult to describe the character she presented. We had conversations and she did engage when it was needed.”
She said the Parkside Guest house was temporary accommodation with a single room. Polton complained it was dirty and finding it difficult to cook meals and that it was her impression, she said, she wanted to move to more settled accommodation..
12:14
'Being naughty so some smacks'
Miss Lee said on February 7 she asked her how she was and she said she was “fine”.
Polton had also complained she had insufficient monies to feed the children and herself.
Miss Lee said Polton was someone who never really displayed emotion.
A police officer has been called to go through messages on Polton’s phone, including between her and someone called Jayce.
”You don’t think I am a bad mum do you.” she says to Jayce.
There are some emojis and kisses
”I have no chance of an early night with these kids,” she says.
.She also sent a message to her sister Karen Porton: “Being naughty so some smacks,” she had said.
12:23
'We can meet and I can *advertiser censored** you'
Going through further messages, it was claimed Louise Polton sent Jayce a sexy picture stating. “Will show more.”
The jury is told she also send a sort code to Jayce and the name ‘Miss Louise Porton’.
“We can meet and I can *advertiser censored** you,” she allegedly told Jayce.
The court was told sexual images were sent on the Meet Me website.
Polton allegedly said to a man Jazz: “Fund my account and I will show you more. Yes I drive. Meet tonight.”
He asked: “How much do you charge?” and she replied, “£100”.
The court was told there was another message from the defendant inviting Jason to her flat “despite both children being present.”
“It appears to be their first encounter having first met on a dating App,” said Nina Ellin, the prosecutor.
12:31
Messages about Lexi having fit
The court was told Porton sent a message to her sister about Lexi having a fit.
She wrote: “It made me cry. I did not know what was going on. It scared me. She was just lying next to me. Don’t think she knew what had happened. I got her to sit up. Gonna be awake all night making sure she is OK.Got bad tummy pains too.”
Her sister later asks: “Have 111 rang you back?”
12:32
Call to emergency service
We are now moving on to the calls made to emergency services.
Polton gives her details and referring to Lexi says: “I think she stopped breathing for a few minutes. I think she is all right now.”
She said her daughter was not unconscious and not gasping for breath and that she was responding normally.
Polton says “She was watching TV and it looked like she was having a fit.”
Polton was told that an ambulance could be sent.
12:48
'Is it cash up front?'
On the evening of January 2 Rich the photographer asks Polton in a message: “Hope you and your daughter are OK?”
The defendant later makes another call and there is a discussion about getting an ambulance for Lexi.
She then cancels the ambulance saying her father had arrived and they could make their own way to hospital.
Later in the evening she sends a message to Patrick on WhatsApp and there is a reference to a “happy ending.”
At 1.18am the following day she sends a message to Kieron stating: “Is it cash up front?”
Shorty after 6am Alexi was discharged from hospital.
On January 4, in the early hours of the morning, a website is visited by Porton about kid’s health and seizures.
13:01
'She died for 20 minutes at 3.30am'
In a 999 call on January 4, Polton is asked whether the patient is breathing and says no.
“I think she has been sick,” the mum had said. “She is lying on her back. She had a fit yesterday. There is sick coming out of her mouth.”
The defendant was given instructions about life support and a paramedic arrived on the scene.
Polton sent a series of messages on January 4 to various people.
She wrote: ”She is still not right. She died for 20 minutes at 3.30am. Going to be in hospital for a few days.”
She later sent another message saying: “Really need funds to help me get by.”
Court updates as mum accused of murdering her young daughters
