The BIOLOGICAL mother of murdered Leiland-James Corkill has spoken publicly for the first time since his death.

Laura Corkill gave birth to Leiland-James Corkill in hospital in December 2019 - but he was removed by social workers just 48 hours later.

She said she was not allowed to hold him in hospital after his death aged 13 months.

The child was killed by Laura Castle, who hoped to adopt him, in Barrow in 2020.

Cumbria County Council is thought to have told Miss Corkill, from Whitehaven, three times before his birth that its plan was to remove him because she could not meet his needs.

But Miss Corkill disputes this, claiming she was unfairly penalised because of the behaviour of a previous partner which she said led to her first two children being taken away.

Leiland-James died in January 2021 during the third lockdown.

She has spoken out for the first time ahead of a Safeguarding Practice Review report being published by the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership this afternoon.

It comes two months after Castle, 38  was jailed for at least 18 years for his murder.

Speaking about when she learned of his death, Miss Corkill told the BBC: "I got a phone call on January 6 saying that Leiland was in hospital.

"(I said) what happened? They turned round and said apparently he'd had an accident and fell off the sofa and he was critical. I asked the person who phoned me 'which hospital? I want to go down to where my baby is'.

"And then they wouldn't give me it until 24 hours later - and then they eventually told me it was Liverpool Alder Hey Hospital. By the time I got down there, he'd already been dead. I just froze to begin with. I froze for about five, ten minutes. 

"I just froze, I just froze on the spot. I didn't know what to do. And then eventually I went into his room and I just wanted to pick him up, but they wouldn't allow me."

The Westmorland Gazette: Laura Corkill. Image: BBCLaura Corkill. Image: BBC

Miss Corkill wrote a letter to the judge ahead of Castle's sentencing in May.

She said: "Leiland-James liked kisses and snuggles and always fell asleep in my arms.

"My son, Leiland-James Corkill, was a happy wee boy, he always had a bright beaming smile, a smile that would brighten days, even on my worst days he is my sunshine.

"My son, Leiland-James, visits in my dreams, he will always be by my side, safe forever now within my heart."

 She described his killer Laura Castle as a 'monster that scared and broke my baby boy’s body and mind'.

The Westmorland Gazette:

Castle was in the process of adopting the child when he died as a result of significant brain injuries.

During the trial she admitted she shook the one-year-old child at her home in Barrow on January 6 2021.

She pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the eve of the trial but had denied murder.

Following temporary foster care arrangements, Leiland-James was placed with Laura Castle and her partner in August 2020 as prospective adoptive parents. 

On the morning of the incident Castle called paramedics after she claimed Leiland-James had fallen from a sofa in their home at Eskdale Avenue. 

Leiland-James was transported to Furness General Hospital and later Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, Leiland-James did not regain consciousness and died in hospital the next day.