A nurse told inquest yesterday she saw blood was dribbling down the child's legs. Photo / Facebook
Poppi Worthington's father today described his daughter as a "bully" and sobbed as he refused to say why the toddler's DNA was on his genitals before she died - one of 252 questions he dodged at her inquest.
Paul Worthington, 49, was accused of sexually abusing 13-month-old Poppi shortly before her tragic death in 2012 - but he escaped prosecution amid claims of a bungled police investigation.
In particular, a laptop Mr Worthington used to watch "adult X-rated" porn in bed on the night Poppi died was never recovered by Cumbria Police and there was no "proactive" attempts by officers to trace it, the Daily Mail reports.
Mr Justice Peter Jackson said last year the toddler suffered "a penetrative sexual assault" before her sudden death and "the only person who could realistically have done this to her was her father".
Giving evidence for a second day today, Poppi's father refused to answer 183 questions by citing "Rule 22", which allows witnesses at inquests to avoid incriminating themselves. Yesterday he refused 69.
But he did reply to a question about Poppi's personality and said she was a "lovely bubbly, happy" child, adding: "She could bully - in her own little way".
He was asked specifically why her DNA was on his genitals and why she was bleeding from her bottom. He refused to say, but the inquest heard he had told police it was because he had been to the toilet after trying to help her breathe.
He was also asked if he had sexually abused her or smothered her with a pillow and again refused to answer before he broke down in tears.
Medical staff at Furness General Hospital told the toddler's inquest this week she had arrived in A&E with blood dribbling down her legs and could not be saved.
Former Detective Constable Lindsey Bolton was told by Mr Worthington that he no longer had the laptop he used to access pornographic material.
Mr Worthington told her he had sold the laptop to a man in Millom and he would try to get it back to hand to police for examination.
Miss Hewitt asked her: "Did that happen? Did Mr Worthington make efforts to retrieve the laptop?"
Ms Bolton replied: "Not to my knowledge."
She said she informed her boss, former beauty queen Detective Inspector Amanda Sadler, about the situation before she went on leave.
Later she found out Mr Worthington had not brought the laptop in to police but no one followed the matter up.
Ms Bolton is no longer a serving police officer.
Throughout the hearing, Mr Worthington refused to answer questions put to him by lawyers.
Kate Stone, representing the mother, asked him about Poppi's health, and taking him through events on the day she died.
All her questions were unanswered by the witness.
Ms Stone continued: "Do you accept something caused Poppi to bleed before she went into the ambulance?
"Was she bleeding Mr Worthington because you had put something into her?
"Why did you hurt your daughter Mr Worthington?"
The witness shook his head and gave the stock reply he had used before.
He went on to use the same answer to questions put to him about the whereabouts of the laptop on which he said he had been watching pornography, on the night of his daughter's death, which he soon sold and police did not recover.
Over two sessions, two hours on Wednesday afternoon and two hours on Thursday, Mr Worthington replied 252 times with the same answer.
He replied with the same stock answer when questioned about several inconsistencies between his statements and accounts given to police and family courts and what he told paramedics and hospital doctors at different times.
He was also asked about Poppi's DNA being found on his genitals, which he has previously said was by transfer from him holding the child then going to the lavatory at the hospital.
Ms Hewitt asked him whether he was "aware of the view expressed by at least one pathologist that the findings of the post mortem suggest that there had been penetration of Poppi".
She continued: "Can I ask you expressly please. Did you penetrate Poppi at any time?"
She continued: "Did you at any time place Poppi in a position where her face was pushed into a pillow? Or put your hand or an object over her face?"
Mr Worthington replied again in a quiet voice: "I refer to my earlier statements, rule 22."
Poppi's mother, who stormed out of the room yesterday, stayed in the inquest and looked visibly upset as he refused to answer question-after-question to avoid self-incrimination.
Coroner David Roberts completed the questions.
He said: "Really just one final thing, I'm not going to repeat rule 22, that said my role is to try to establish how Poppi came by her death and that needs to look at the facts and establish all available facts we can.
"Now you are perfectly entitled to rely on your legal right not to answer anything that might incriminate you, there's no inference drawn from that.
"That said, today is an opportunity for you to tell me anything you think may help me understand how Poppi came by her death.
"So I don't want you to leave court thinking you have not had the opportunity to tell me what happened as best you can remember about the facts of those hours.
"It's an opportunity. Is there anything else you would like to tell me?"
Mr Worthington replied: "No sir."
Today he was again bundled into his daughter's inquest at Kendal, Cumbria, by police and used a hood to hide his face amid claims he has had death threats.
He has repeatedly used "Rule 22" of Britain's Coroners Rules to avoid describing his relationship with Poppi or her mother in case his own evidence was incriminating, the inquest heard.
When asked about sleeping arrangements at the family home and his daughter's morning routine he also said repeatedly: "I rely on the right not to answer that under rule 22".
Poppi's mother, who cannot be named, then walked out as he refused to answer what happened in the 24 hours before Poppi died after dodging 69 questions. Hours earlier her QC said she had waited five years for his evidence.
It has emerged that Worthington has been in £50,000-a-year "witness protection" since January 2016 when a judge said he probably abused Poppi, who suffered acute internal injuries before she died.
Worthington, who denies hurting his daughter, did say that Poppi, said she had a good appetite and was generally "fit as a fiddle" before her death.
And he admitted he had an on-off relationship including "sporadic" sex with Poppi's mother who did not like his OCD and the fact he watched too much sport on TV and liked to gamble.
Earlier Worthington successfully demanded to be hidden from the public behind a screen after claiming he received death threats warning him he faced being "killed" or "castrated".
Cumbria Constabulary sent a marked patrol car to the front door of Kendal Coroner's Court as a decoy as the unmarked people carrier containing Worthington went to another entrance, witnesses said.
At least ten police officers were on duty outside the court despite no protesters being in attendance but the force said it was necessary to ensure his "safe arrival".
Inside court his lawyer then asked for permission for Worthington to give evidence from behind a screen after people said he should be "castrated" or "killed".
The lawyer representing Poppi Worthington's mother, who cannot be named, told the coroner: "We support there should be no screen. She's waited almost five years for this hearing".
Paul Clark, representing Mr Worthington, said: "He has been in a long-term position of great vulnerability and risk and he's been in a long-term position of witness protection, whereby currently his appearance and location is not known.
"There are photos of Mr Worthington online but what is not known to the public is currently his location but also his current appearance.
"In this case it has been apparent throughout that there's a real risk to Mr Worthington's life, and even if not at a risk of death, risk of serious mistreatment and clearly substantial concerns outside these tangible risks and substantial concerns on Mr Worthington's right to private life that has already been jeopardised, very, very substantially indeed."
Following legal submissions over several hours Mr Roberts ruled in favour of the press. He directed that Mr Worthington must give evidence in court in view of the press but screened from anyone watching in the public gallery.
Police failed to investigate until eight months later - despite medical experts Poppi had injuries consistent with a sex attack - and her father has not been prosecuted.
Today Worthington started to give his version of events and he claims he found her lifeless in his bed and had nothing to do with it.
But he then used his right not to answer.
Defending the number of officers involved in protecting him a Cumbria Constabulary spokesman said: "Cumbria Constabulary this morning assisted in the arrival of Paul Worthington to Kendal County Hall, where he is due to give evidence at an inquest.
"Security arrangements have been in place for Mr Worthington following threats made towards him.
"To ensure Mr Worthington's safe arrival, a number of police resources were in place."
Yesterday consultant paediatrician Dr Osama Braima described how he fought to resuscitate Poppi for 57 minutes at Furness General Hospital before she was pronounced dead.
He noticed she was "pouring" fresh blood after she died, she told the inquest.
He said: "I thought there was something wrong inside the child and I was not comfortable. I was suspicious."
He alerted Children's Services and examined her body again five hours later at 11am in the children's ward.
He said Poppi was still bleeding fresh blood, which he found to be "unusual".
The doctor said Poppi's death was unexplained and it has played on his mind.
"It has stuck with me as quite significant," he said. "I have never seen an incident of this kind to any child in my career."
Poppi arrived by ambulance to hospital shortly after 6am on 12 December 2012.
Her First Aid trained father Paul, a former ASDA night shift worker, was in the back with her helping a paramedic perform CPR on the toddler.
Nurse Sarah McQuiston ran into the back scooped Poppi into her arms before rushing her into A&E.
She noticed Poppi was floppy, cold and blue and was bleeding bright red blood.
"Blood was dribbling down her legs. She had no nappy on," Miss McQuiston told Kendal Coroner's Court.
She said Poppi's stomach was distended, bloated. "You could see it was quite tight, hard, a bit like a pregnant tummy," she said.
Clinical support worker Kelly Viceroy-Grieve liaised with Paul and Poppi's in the hospital Relatives Room.
Paul has arrived in the ambulance dressed in just a blue t shirt and jeans. He had no coat and had no shoes or socks on, though he had brought them with him.
Miss Viceroy-Grieve said that Paul had told her that he had been still in his boxer shorts when the paramedic had arrived at their family home, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, arrived separately to Paul.
"She was distraught, anxious, crying. She was talking more to Poppi's dad, asking him questions 'what's happened? Is she still alive?'," said Miss Viceroy-Grieve.
She said Paul told her what had happened with Poppi.
She stated that he said: "She had woken up in her cot crying, so he put her into bed with him. He tried to give Poppi her dummy but she wouldn't have it.
"Poppi was making a face like she needed a poo, so he put his fingers on each side of her nappy to try to get the nappy from her bottom, so that she could try and push out with ease. He put two fingers on the side of her nappy so she could have a poo easily."
He explained that he went downstairs to get a nappy.
"Paul said he went back upstairs to see Poppi and she was asleep and so he got back into bed with Poppi," Miss Viceroy-Grieve told Kendal Coroner's Court.
He also added: "I don't know why but I looked over to Poppi and touched her arm and it was lifeless."
Earlier the inquest, which began on Monday, heard a harrowing 999 call from the girl's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as her daughter lay dying.
This fresh inquest was ordered by the High Court after the controversial first hearing in 2014, held by a different coroner, was shrouded in secrecy with Poppi listed as "a child aged 13 months".
Shortly before 6am on the day of her death, Mr Worthington, who had put Poppi in his bed with him, went downstairs with her lifeless body and emergency services were called.
Little over an hour later, at 7.07am, Poppi was pronounced dead at Furness General Hospital, just a day after she had taken her first two steps.
Poppi's mother was frequently visibly distressed as she gave evidence earlier this week, describing her relationship with the toddler's father as "up and down".
She described her daughter as "very alive, bubbly".
"You knew she was there, there was no missing her," she said.
The inquest continues.
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