Nine-year-old’s injuries were ‘consistent with drowning’ Lincoln murder trial hears

A pathologist on Thursday, November 19 told a murder trial jury that the nine-year-old boy alleged to have been drowned by his grandfather had injuries which could have been caused when he entered the bath.

Dr Frances Hollingbury, a Leicester-based pathologist, told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court that she found areas of bruising to the head, right hip and deep muscle area of the back when she carried out a post-mortem examination on Alex Robinson.

The pathologist told the jury “It could be explained by somebody entering the bath and impacting with the sides.”

She said that fresh injuries she found included deep bruising to the muscles at the back of the armpit and between the pec muscles.

Dr Hollingbury said “I am of the opinion that the findings are consistent with a cause of death of drowning.”

Stewart Greene is alleged to have murdered Alex Robinson by drowning the little boy in the bath at the youngster’s home in Pennell Street, Lincoln two days before Christmas in 2014.

Greene had been left alone with Alex for less than an hour while the boy’s mother and grandmother went shopping for the Christmas turkey and vegetables.

The jury has heard that the incident happened just 12 days after Greene was discharged from a psychiatric unit in Lincoln.

Following his arrest Greene was seen by a psychiatrist on Christmas evening while he was being held in custody at Lincoln Police Station.

Dr Felix Noumuoja told the jury that Green complained of experiencing pain in his head.

“The first thing he said was that he did not feel he was fit to stand trial the next day. He was supposed to be attending court the next day.

“He complained of tightness of the brain and general fatigue. He said he was feeling very stressed and depressed.

“He felt as though no information was getting into his brain.”

Greene claimed that medication he was prescribed was causing his brain to “bubble”.

Dr Nuomuoja said: “He was using terminologies that were unconventional. My conclusion was that he was going through stress given the fact that he was in custody on Christmas evening when you would expect to be at home having dinner with the family.

“I was of the opinion that he was experiencing the physical and psychological features of acute stress consequent on his adverse personal circumstances.”

Greene, 65, of Danes Court, Grimoldby, near Louth, denies the murder of Alex Robinson on December 23, 2014.

The trial continues.

Follow the progress so far:

• Grandfather denies brutal murder of grandson in Lincoln
• Doctor tells court Stewart Greene strangled her just months before allegedly murdering grandson

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