An expert in joints and bones has described injuries to the pelvis of a two-year-old girl as the worst he'd seen in a child in his 40-year career.

Giving evidence during the trial of Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell and Scott Jeff at Ipswich Crown Court Professor Anthony Freemont said: "I cannot recall seeing pelvic injuries of this degree before".

The professor, who is an expert in osteoarticular pathology with a career spanning 40 years, said pelvic fractures in children were rare and he classified Isabella Wheildon's as "severe".

He said Isabella's injuries, which were to both sides of her pelvis, were high impact fractures similar to those seen in children hit by a moving vehicle.

He said in Isabella's case considerable force, such as punching, stamping or being hit with an object such as a cricket bat, had been applied to her pelvis while her back was on the floor or against a wall.

He said these injuries would have been caused 6-24 hours before her death and in his opinion were the main cause of bone marrow entering the bloodstream and ultimately causing her death.

The professor also told the court that Isabella had suffered fractures to both her wrists 8-14 days before her death and there was evidence of refractures being caused 6-24 hours before her death.

Both Gleason-Mitchell and Jeff, now both 24, and formerly of Bedfordshire, have denied murdering Isabella between June 26-30 last year.

Jeff has also denied causing or allowing the death of a child between June 26-30 last year and two offences of cruelty to a child under 16.

The court has heard that Gleason-Mitchell has admitted causing or allowing Isabella's death and two offences of child cruelty.

Isabella's body was found  by police in her pushchair under a pile of blankets  in temporary accommodation in Sidegate Lane, Ipswich, in June last year- three months before her third birthday.

It has been alleged that during the three days before the discovery Gleason-Mitchell and Jeff pushed Isabella's dead body around in her pushchair and visited a local pub and went shopping in Ipswich town centre.

Jeff is alleged to have repeatedly beaten Isabella, leaving her with several fractures and covered in bruises, while Gleason-Mitchell is alleged to have stood back, watched and 'did nothing’ as Jeff carried out his ‘callous, cruel and ultimately fatal’ attacks.

The trial, which is expected to last between six and eight weeks, continues.