Day eight in court (From Free Press Series)

Day eight in court

BRUISED from a fall at home on Monday night, for which she'd needed stitches, an emotional Desiree Baldwin took the stand again.

She faced a barrage of questions from Peter Murphy QC, defending.

He painted a picture of Jenna as a troubled teenager whose school attendance was sporadic and whose studies were suffering as a result.

Desiree wept in the witness box as the barrister told jurors Jenna ran away from home on several occasions.

Mr Murphy recalled Jenna's occasionally poor school attendance and bad reports from Abersychan Comprehensive.

The jury heard Desiree met Baldwin met in January 1990 and moved in together a year later when Jenna was four.

Mr Murphy said problems started when Jenna was 12 or 13 and he suggested her schoolwork began to suffer.

But Desiree denied this and said Jenna got on well at school until "she died." Mr Murphy pointed to letters sent to Desiree complaining Jenna had not completed course work, and comments from the school that Jenna had "a negative attitude", made "little effort", gave "the minimum required attention" and would be "apathetic" towards her studies.

Desiree said: "You are talking about one school report in 15 years of Jenna's life."

Mr Murphy said from September 4 2000 to June 29 2001 Jenna had 48 authorised absences.

Mrs Baldwin asked what relevance the line of questioning had to Jenna's death. But He went on: "In autumn time 2001 her attendance was 113 days out of 142. Were you aware of that?"

Desiree replied: "Yes."

He went on to say there was more contact from the school in February 2002 concerning Jenna's lack of progess, including number of phone calls.

Desiree insisted she did not feel there was a problem with Jenna's education, and recounted only one occasion when she had caught her, and taken her back to school.

She asked Mr Murphy what relevance this had - he replied he was addressing problems Jenna had.

He said there were arguments between Desiree and Jenna about school attendance, and that he knew there were arguments between Baldwin and Jenna about the same issue.

Mr Murphy said he was addressing problems Jenna had.

The jury was told Jenna had gone missing before and did not tell her mother where she was.

Desiree had earlier insisted her daughter would never stay away without letting Desiree know where she was.

But the court heard: On October 2 2001 she was reported missing to police. Mr Murphy related how Jenna had run off and slept rough when she was supposed to be at her grandfather's.

A crying Desiree said she had forgotten.

On April 4 2001 and April 11 2002 she was reported missing.

On Thursday, December 20, 2001 at 5.40pm she was reported missing and later found with Desiree.

Mr Murphy also said that in the summer of 2001 Jenna was arrested with a group of friends for taking a car without the owner's consent.

David Aubrey QC, prosecuting, told the court Jenna was never charged or cautioned in connection with the incident.

Addressed by Mr Aubrey, Desiree maintained there wasn't a time when she didn't know where Jenna was.

THE COURT heard how Desiree had asked Baldwin to leave on three occasions. Questioned by Mr Aubrey, she spoke of how Baldwin could "make it very difficult."

She said Baldwin and Jenna's relationship "wasn't right" and that they weren't speaking to each other. She confirmed she had asked Baldwin to "either changer or go."

DESIREE warned Baldwin that if he laid a finger on daughter Jenna, he would be out, jurors were also told.

Desiree, told the court only she was allowed to discipline Jenna.

During cross-examination, the court heard ten-year-old Josh - Desiree and Baldwin's son, was scared of his father.

Mr Murphy said Desiree never saw Baldwin hit his stepdaughter and "rarely" smacked Josh.

Desiree confirmed her and Baldwin had different views on discipline. And said Baldwin did smack his child.

Desiree said she was prescribed the anti-depressant Seroxat in 1999 to ease her PMT.

Mr Murphy suggested that Mr Baldwin rarely hit his child - Desiree claims it was more often, but she confirmed she had never seen him hit Jenna.