Nursery worker on trial admits appearing ‘impatient’ with baby

The baby was found unresponsive and blue on the afternoon of 9 May 2022 at the nursery in Cheadle Hulme.

Staff and paramedics attempted to revive her but she was pronounced dead later that day in hospital.

The court was shown CCTV footage of the baby room at the nursery and how the staff interacted with the children.

The prosecution has claimed Ms Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, felt “hostility” towards baby Genevieve.

The jury was told that she sang: “Genevieve, Genevieve, stop your whingeing, Genevieve” on one occasion.

And on another, Genevieve rolled over on her side and Ms Roughley picked her up, saying, “Sit up properly, stress head”.

Giving evidence under examination by her own barrister, Sarah Elliott KC, Ms Roughley admitted she appeared “impatient” in the CCTV footage.

She told the court that she sang songs or made up rhymes about some babies, and Genevieve in particular, to “entertain them”.

The nurse said and there was “no malice in it” and a comment about Genevieve being a stress head was “just a throwaway comment”.