​A young dad accused of murdering his baby daughter ​by excessive and severe shaking was "play​ing" on his phone during police questioning, a jury has heard.

Thomas Holford appeared to be in "quite a good mood" ​and "very relaxed" while being asked about events leading up to the moment five-week-old Everleigh Stroud​ had been found seriously ill on the morning of April 21, 2021.

​With the newborn being rushed to Margate's QEQM Hospital in an ambulance​ accompanied by her teenage mum, Casey Stroud​, the then 20-year-old ​spoke to officers of having cared for her overnight.

But as well as detailing how ​he had fed and settled her, and how having a child had given him a purpose in life, ​he could be seen repeatedly using his phone.

At one stage in a conversation recorded on PC Darren Smith's body-worn camera, the first-time dad spoke about a smoking app, and later asked a sergeant to pick a game for him to download from his app store.

Jurors at Canterbury Crown Court have heard that on what was the morning of her 17th birthday, ​Casey had found her daughter grey in colour with marks to her face.

With her condition deteriorating to an extent ​that a 999 operator was told ​by both the infant​'s mum and nan that she ​appeared to be "in agony" and taking "scary" breaths, paramedics and police ​had attended ​the family home in Wallwood Road, Ramsgate​.

On arrival, the baby was lying on the floor, as instructed by the emergency services, with her mum and grandmother Kelly Stroud present in the room. Holford was said to be upstairs.

​PC Smith was one of the first officers on the scene and, giving evidence today (June 11) he recalled seeing a paramedic "unusually panicked" as he left the house carrying the baby to a waiting ambulance.

The constable said he was then "quietly" told by the South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb) employee to look at her mouth, where he noticed she had several small marks to her face and a split lip.

Jurors heard that ​the officer, believing "there was something not quite right", requested assistance from a supervising colleague before speaking first to Mrs Stroud and then Holford.

Mrs Stroud informed PC Smith that she had heard Everleigh crying at about 7.30am but thought nothing of it as Holford was with her in the bedroom and would care for her needs.

But it was when Casey came home at around 9am from staying at her best friend's the previous evening that she (Mrs Stroud) said she was alerted by her daughter to Everleigh's condition and an ambulance was called.

PC Smith then recalled his subsequent interaction with Holford once he was sitting in the family living room.

"When he entered the room he seemed to be in quite a good mood.​ He didn't seem to be showing any emotion. He was quite easily conversing with me​," said the officer.

The court heard - and watched the body-worn camera footage - of Holford describing having fed the baby two or three times during the night and settling her to sleep.

He recalled hearing her whimper but thought she was dreaming, and later described to Sgt Benjamin Patterson how it was a sound like a droning hum.

Holford spoke of not seeing or knowing of any bruises on his daughter until a "very upset" Casey had woken him.

He also referred to his low mood and an upcoming appointment with the community mental health team.

Asked by prosecutor Eloise Marshall if the defendant's demeanour had changed during their conversation, PC Smith replied: "Not to any drastic amount."

Ms Marshall then asked: "What was he actually doing while you were talking to him?"

The officer responded: "Mainly playing on his mobile phone."

I don't remember seeing any emotion - something that seemed strange considering what had happened…

In much of the footage, Holford could be seen holding the device between his hands.

Having at one stage recalled how he feared he had swaddled her "quite tightly" when she whimpered, he then told PC Smith: "It's weird. Before I had a kid, I just thought 'kids are just kids'.

"Then, you have a kid and it's like 'Woah, step back' and it puts everything into perspective, doesn't it?

"Before, I didn't feel like I had a purpose. I wasn't working. But now I feel everything has just fallen into place."

Holford also revealed, the court was told, that he had last smoked cannabis at around 10am the previous day, and would use it daily in the morning for a stomach issue.

A small amount of herbal cannabis, along with a grinder and other drug paraphernalia, was found in the "untidy and crammed" bedroom he shared with Casey and Everleigh.

Having been arrested that day, Holford was taken to Margate police station and placed under constant supervision while in his cell.

PC Smith told the jury he heard the defendant "speaking freely" of how he was often told by his girlfriend on waking that he had been "verbally aggressive" towards her but having no knowledge of doing so.

Sgt Patterson also gave evidence, recalling his finding of the cannabis and then his conversation with Holford, who he described as being "very interested in his phone, very relaxed and distant".

He then told the jury: "On at least one occasion he showed me the phone and asked me to choose from a list of games from the app store on that phone to download."

Holford, now 24 and of Pedlars Close, Danbury, in Essex, denies murdering Everleigh but has admitted manslaughter.

Her injuries, which led to her death in hospital 13 months later on May 27, 2022, included catastrophic brain haemorrhages and multiple bone fractures.

Jurors heard that while it is accepted by Holford that he inflicted them, he disputes the prosecution case that he intended to kill Everleigh or cause her really serious harm.

Holford also denies a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm in relation to three anal tears said by an expert to have been caused to Everleigh by penetration of a penis, finger or object.

During cross-examination of PC Smith and Sgt Patterson by Holford's barrister, Jo Martin KC, it was said that as well as talking about what game to download on his phone, he was messaging Casey at the hospital, taking calls from her and getting updates.

PC Smith agreed that although the young dad's presentation was "a major factor", the fact it could have been "a delayed reaction" was also considered.

The officer also said he had dealt with him in a way which was "open-minded and with an element of compassion".

But when it was suggested by Ms Martin that Holford had been talking "randomly" while in the custody cell, PC Smith replied: "He was calm the whole time I was with him. I couldn't work out his mindset at all."

He then added: "Over the whole day, he was on a level. I don't remember seeing any emotion - something that seemed strange considering what had happened.

"I saw no change of emotion."

In the 999 call, also played to the court, Mrs Stroud was heard telling the operator her grandchild was "just about" breathing and conscious.

But she added: "She is looking quite grey, feeling quite cold. Her eyes are really puffed up. She has got a bruise on her cheek. She is not crying. She is finding it impossible to cry."

As instructions were given as to how to care for Everleigh until medical help arrived, Casey could be heard on the line saying: "She looks in agony, she's not right at all.

"She is not waking up at all. Her eyes are like slits at the moment. They look like they are rolling back."

The court heard that having been born on March 13, 2021, by forceps, which left bumps to her head, Everleigh had no health concerns at the time she was assaulted.

In visits to the family home by health workers on March 30 and April 6, Casey said her boyfriend was doing most of the night feeds so she could rest.

It was also noted that he "really helped out" and was happy to do so.

​The trial continues.