A YOUNG mum "still wants a relationship" with the man accused of killing their unborn baby son after admitting she wanted to abort the child, a court heard.
Katie Strawhorn, 20, planned to terminate the pregnancy before 18-year-old boyfriend Jack Butterworth allegedly kicked her in the stomach, the High Court in Glasgow was told.
Prosecutors claim Katie suffered a “placental abruption” resulting in the boy being born by emergency caesarean section in November 2016.
The child was said to have been so severely injured that he died five days later in hospital and Butterworth was charged with the culpable homicide of his baby son.
The trial yesterday heard Katie had moved into a flat in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in March 2016, and had started dating Butterworth earlier that year.
Katie went on to have a meeting with council housing officer Alison Watt and told her she was having a baby.
Prosecutor Ashley Edwards QC asked: “Did she discuss if she was going to continue with the pregnancy?”
Miss Watt: “She advised us that it was her intention to terminate the pregnancy.
“She advised that she wanted to remain with Jack and that the only way that would happen was if she terminated the pregnancy.
“She would rather be with Jack than the baby.”
Miss Watt also told the jury Katie was someone who was “always very confident”.
But, she added: “Her demeanour had totally changed. She was very withdrawn in herself.”
Miss Watt recalled she was later in the area in May last year when she heard “raised voices” from the property.
The housing officer went to the door and Katie answered. She described Katie as “upset and shaken”.
Butterworth was also seen in the house and Miss Edwards asked the witness how he was.
Miss Watt: “Very angry and pent up. I believe he asked us to leave because it was none of our business.”
The witness further told the jury that she spotted “holes in doors” of the property.
Butterworth is said to have assaulted Katie at a number of addresses in Kilmarnock last November 3.
The indictment includes claims Butterworth did “kick her on the stomach” as well as chase and cause her to “flee and fall”
It is also alleged he did “repeatedly inflict blunt force trauma on her head and body”.
Katie was 36 weeks pregnant at the time.
Butterworth faces a separate charge of assaulting Katie between January and November 2016.
This includes a claim he threw fire crackers at her as well as punching and kicking her.
A further charge claims he behaved in a threatening manner towards the baby's mum and another woman.
Prosecutors allege – amongst other accusations -that he broke wardrobe mirrors and threw furniture.
He denies the charges and the trial, before Judge Lord Ericht, continues.
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