A couple have been cleared of neglecting their baby son who died when he was three weeks old.

Bruce and Heather Hill had been accused of neglecting their son, Edward, by failing to summon medical assistance when they allegedly knew he was ill.

The prosecution at Chelmsford Crown Court had alleged the Hills, of Nayland Drive, Clacton, had waited some time before calling the ambulance service when their son stopped breathing.

The court was told original medical evidence suggested the fractured skull and subsequent brain swelling Edward suffered had taken place some hours before he died.

But Anthony Abell, prosecuting, told the court a new medical report revealed the injury could have taken place half an hour before Bruce Hill, 28, called for an ambulance.

"The bedrock of this case is the time lag of several hours but this has now gone," Mr Abell said.

And he added: "The prosecution are offering no evidence against these two individuals as we cannot prove both of them knew long enough before the 999 call what had befallen baby Edward.

Trial Judge Benjamin Pearson said the decision was the right one and he directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict against the couple.

"It is not a satisfactory situation but it is the only situation available," Judge Pearson said.

He added there was not enough information on which to base a prosecution.

Restrictions covering the reporting of an earlier case involving the Hills were lifted by the judge on Tuesday.

Bruce Hill had denied one charge of cruelty, one of assault and four charges of ill-treatment of children but was convicted after a trial in March.

His 35-year-old wife Heather had denied ill-treating a girl whose ribs were broken and another charge of failing to protect a child. She was convicted of the offences.

The couple were cleared of eight further charges after the judge directed the jury to enter not guilty verdicts.

Heather Hills' defence counsel, Christopher Moss QC, told the courton Tuesday she was not being cleared of the charge relating to her dead son through some kind of legal loophole.

"She has never been charged with inflicting harm on Edward, let alone causing his death," Mr Moss said.

And he added: "I do not want it to be thought Heather Hill escaped conviction by a technicality. I want that to be absolutely clear."

The couple were granted bail while pre-sentence reports are prepared before they are sentenced on Friday.

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