Toddler died after being tied to "cage" bed

A toddler died after she was forcibly restrained face down by being tied to her bed after she refused to settle down, a jury heard.

Little Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle was just 19 months when she was tied down to the bed which had been turned into a "cage".

At the time of her death on March 23, 2017 the toddler was living with her mum Lauren Coyle, 19, and her mum’s boyfriend Reece Hitchcott, 20, and lodger Connor Kirby, 20, in Preston, UK.

All three are on trial for manslaughter but deny the charge.

The court heard Ellie-May woke up around midnight and a doona was placed over her and her feet were tied up.

At some point, earlier in the evening her frustrated mum is said to have sent a Snapchat message to a friend saying, 'This child is pissing me off tonight,' and claimed the child was 'taking the mick' with her crying.

She was then placed in a "very dangerous sleeping environment", Liverpool Crown court heard.

The prosecution allege Hitchcott built a cage in the bed, which was described as “a monstrous structure”, against the two sides of Ellie-May’s toddler bed.

The jury were shown photographs of the bed which showed slats and sides from her cot had been attached to it with towels and sheets draped over them so Ellie-May could not see or get out.

It is also alleged the toddler had been forcibly tied to the bed on more than one occasion and restraint marks on her body showed she had had at least one wrist and one ankle tied.

The prosecution said the duvet placed over the tot would have impacted on her ability to control her body temperature, causing her "immense suffering, distress and upset". It is thought she vomited and then died shortly afterwards.

The trial continues.