Isabella Wheildon murder trial: Co-defendant Scott Jeff said ‘I never murdered her’ as he was arrested in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich Crown Court hears
A man accused of killing a two-year-old girl in Ipswich told officers he ‘never murdered her’ as he was arrested in Bury St Edmunds, a court has heard.
The trial of Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell and Scott Jeff, both 24 and of no fixed address, but formerly of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, continues at Ipswich Crown Court.
The couple stand accused of the murder of two-year-old Isabella Wheildon, after her body was discovered at East Villa, a council-run temporary housing unit in Sidegate Lane on June 30, 2023.
Body cam footage taken from officers who arrested the couple in Mustow Street, Bury, in the early hours of July 1, was shown to the jury.
Both Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell were arrested at about 12.40am – 15 minutes after leaving the Corn Exchange Wetherspoons, where they spent the evening, as heard in court last week.
They had left Ipswich that morning and spent the afternoon in Bury, having left Isabella’s body in their flat.
While Gleason-Mitchell offered no answer to caution, Jeff made several comments.
According to the footage, Jeff told officers he planned to return to Ipswich the following day to turn himself in.
He said: “This is why I came down here for the day so I can have a drink and I was going to hand myself in tomorrow. I never murdered her. See, the state I was in, I couldn't deal with the police at that time. I was not in the right state.
“This is just what I was trying to avoid for the night.
“I didn’t know what to do, I really didn’t. I’m sorry for coming down here for the night, I really am.
“There’s nothing worse than losing a child.”
When advised he was under caution, Jeff told the officer that it wasn’t a problem and that he ‘had nothing to hide’.
Detective Constable Claire Roche, who ran through the events to the jury, said Jeff was offered the chance to confirm whether his statements were accurate to be used in evidence, which was standard practice for officers.
The jury was also shown footage of the inside of Flat 15A at East Villa, where the couple were staying when Isabella died – and where her body was found by officers, covered in bruises, with black eyes and obscured by a blanket.
Among items recovered from the scene were several bloodstained items, including a duvet, child’s shorts, a child’s robe, white adult jeans and a towel, as well as grey leggings Isabella was wearing when her body was found.
Sally Howes KC, prosecuting, said forensic scientists believed it was ‘a billion times more likely’ the blood samples came from Isabella rather than someone else matching her DNA profile.
Between them, Gleason-Mitchell and Jeff were accused of eight offences, with each charged with one count of murder, one of causing or allowing the death of a child, one of cruelty to a child under 16 in relation to cocaine plus one of cruelty to a child under 16 with relation to cannabis.
Gleason-Mitchell pleaded not guilty to murder, but admitted all other charges. Jeff pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The prosecution believes Isabella died on June 26, 2023.
Isabella’s cause of death was certified as a bone marrow embolism caused by skeletal trauma.
Ms Howes attributed this to physical abuse, namely kicking or stamping, by Jeff, in what she called an ‘escalated regime of brutality’.
The trial continues.
