A FIVE-MONTH-OLD baby was never going to survive the bleeding to his brain and eyes, a court heard.

Consultant paediatric neurologist Dr Venkateswaran Ramesh (CORR), a consultant paediatric pathologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), in Newcastle, told the jury he knew when he first examined Charlee (CORR) Cameron Clark that he was going to die.

“I knew he had severe bleeding on the brain and retinal bleeding was very obvious to see,” he said. “From my experience I knew that he was not going to survive this, even from my first assessment.”

Dr Ramesh said saw the youngster twice and observed bleeding to his brain and eyes and swelling to his head. He was also unresponsive.

Charlee died on March 1, 2011, five days after falling ill and being rushed to hospital.

His father Lee Clark, 28, denies the manslaughter of his son at their home in Neville Close, Gainford, County Durham.

The jury at Newcastle Crown Court today (Thursday, January 31) heard consultant Dr Barbara Fulton was one of the first to see Charlee when he arrived at the RVI by ambulance from the Darlington Memorial Hospital on February 25.

She said she obtained information about Charlee’s health from Mr Clark and the youngster’s mother Natalie Holmes.

Social services and the police had been alerted by this time as doctors believed Charlee’s injuries could have been caused by being shaken.

Dr Fulton added: “His parents were now aware of the consideration that they could have done something. Mum was very upset by this.

“Without an obvious cause we had to consider every possible option.”

Miss Holmes had left Charlee with Mr Clark while she went shopping in Darlington for new clothes for his christening, which was due to take place two days later.

She said there had been no problems before she left but had been informed by her then fiancé that their baby had refused his bottle and was making unusual groaning noises.

When she returned home she realised something was wrong and took him to her GP, who insisted Charlee needed to be taken to hospital immediately.

The trial continues.