INJURIES to a child in a cruelty case could not have been accidental, a medical expert told a court.A jury was hearing evidence in the trial at Ipswich Crown Court of teenage couple Luke Sims, 19 and Carly Morris, 18.

INJURIES to a child in a cruelty case could not have been accidental, a medical expert told a court.

A jury was hearing evidence in the trial at Ipswich Crown Court of teenage couple Luke Sims, 19 and Carly Morris, 18.

Morris of Burrell Road, Ipswich and Sims formerly of Kingdom Avenue, Prickwillow near Ely, Cambridgeshire, both deny four charges of child cruelty.

Sims also denies two charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm on the child with intent and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Dr Alan Sprigg, a consultant paediatric radiologist gave evidence about his conclusions on x-rays and scanning of injuries to the child.

The court has heard the child had broken ribs and a fractured bone in the left forearm. There was also retinal haemorrhage and bleeding of the brain.

Dr Sprigg told how the fractured ribs, could have been caused by squeezing of the chest. As for other injuries, the court has heard that Sims claimed he accidentally bumped the child's head on two occasions. He said he bumped its head on a door frame while carrying it.

Another time he claimed the child bumped its head on a wooden part of a sofa.

Dr Sprigg said this would not have produced the injuries discovered.

A computed tomography (CT) scan showed bleeding inside the head even though there was no skull fracture. Dr Sprigg said: "you may well get bleeding without fracture in that case due to shaking."

He said shaking of a child could prove fatal because of the damage it could cause to the brain. He concluded that the various injuries to the child could not have been accidental.

The trial continues todayand it is expected to last another week.