Manslaughter trial into death of baby Scott Addy ended
A 29-year-old father accused of shaking his baby son to death has walked free from court after prosecutors dropped a charge of manslaughter against him.
Matthew Addy, of Wimbledon, south-west London, was charged after Scott Addy died in 2003 following brain injuries.
The boy, who was about three months old at the time, died nine days after being taken to hospital with fatal injuries.
The Old Bailey judge said Scott had been unlawfully killed, but added he was "extremely troubled" by the case.
'Very happy child'
Following evidence from Scott's mother Nicole Pullen last week, Judge Anthony Morris discharged the jury on Monday and the prosecutors offered no evidence.
Ms Pullen, who was 18 at the time of Scott's death, denied having done anything to the child.
But when questioned by defence counsel as to whether she had "any mental picture of what was going on that evening at all", Ms Pullen, who is now known as Nicole Fox, replied: "No."
Judge Anthony Morris told the court he had formed an "adverse view" of the witness.
"I was extremely troubled about the case being brought before me and how it was developing," he added.
During the trial, Richard Whittam QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "He (Scott) sustained a serious head injury consistent with either a shaking or a shaking impact injury, which caused his death."
Mr Addy, then 22, a greenkeeper at Walton Heath golf club in Surrey, lived with his partner in Sutton when they were arrested after the baby - described as a "very happy" child - was taken to hospital.
Subsequently the pair were told they would not face any charges over the death. But Mr Addy was arrested in 2009 after the case was reviewed.