PHILIP CARLIN AND PAULA PICKERING SHOCK WAVE IN WAVERTREE AND SCARBOROUGH WITH HORRIFIC CHILD ABUSE CASE

In July 2000, a tragic and disturbing case of child abuse and neglect unfolded, capturing the attention of the public and the justice system alike. The case centered around a young girl named Chelsea, an 11-month-old baby who suffered unimaginable cruelty at the hands of her father, Philip Carlin, and her mother, Paula Pickering, both residents of the Wavertree and Scarborough areas.

Philip Carlin, aged 44, was convicted of a series of heinous crimes involving the torture and eventual death of his infant daughter. The court heard that Carlin had kept Chelsea confined within his bedroom at his residence in Garrick Street, Wavertree, for a period of five weeks. During this time, he subjected her to relentless violence, inflicted severe injuries, and starved her, leading to her tragic demise. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Carlin had burned Chelsea on her face and chest with a cigarette, and had shaken her violently on two separate occasions, causing fatal brain injuries. His cruelty extended to neglect, as he ignored her suffering while sitting nearby, engaged in mundane activities such as forging car tax discs and benefit documents.

Doctors described Chelsea’s living conditions as reminiscent of scenes from a Dickens novel, with food meant for her left discarded on the floor outside her bedroom, which was barricaded with screwdrivers to prevent anyone from entering. On cold days, she was often left outside in a baby chair, dressed only in a nappy and a soiled vest or T-shirt. Her 10-year-old half-brother, who was left to care for her in Carlin’s absence, attempted to provide some comfort by buying her chocolate bars with his pocket money, which Carlin would then force into her mouth in a brutal manner.

Throughout this period of six weeks, Chelsea’s health rapidly deteriorated. She was found to have burns, a large lump on her head, and over forty bruises primarily on her head. Her lower lip was missing, likely torn off after Carlin applied ice to an infection, and her palate was severely damaged by a ballpoint pen. She weighed approximately a third less than the average for her age, and her brain had suffered ruptured blood vessels due to violent shaking. Despite her suffering, her mother, Paula Pickering, who was also involved in neglect and assaulting Chelsea, did nothing to intervene. She was described as being too obsessed with Carlin and too afraid of losing him to help her daughter.

Carlin’s violent actions culminated in her death, which was the result of a combination of burns, starvation, and repeated violent shaking. His conviction followed a five-week trial, during which he denied two charges of cruelty to Chelsea and two to Pickering’s 10-year-old son. Pickering, aged 31, admitted to assaulting and neglecting Chelsea, but her sentencing was scheduled for the following Monday. During the trial, the young boy testified via video link, describing how Carlin’s presence in the household had transformed their once-normal family life into a nightmare. He recounted how Carlin would often leave Chelsea unfed, noting her extreme thinness and constant hunger, and how he would hear her screams, which sounded like she was being strangled.

Judge Bryn Holloway, addressing Carlin directly, condemned his actions as a sickening series of deliberate tortures. He emphasized that Carlin had systematically burned Chelsea and, towards the end of her life, had violently shaken her twice, causing fatal brain injuries. The judge also made it clear that the injuries were inflicted by Carlin alone, not by Pickering, although he acknowledged her complicity in neglect and her inability or unwillingness to prevent the abuse. Pickering was described as being under Carlin’s spell, so infatuated that she was prepared to sacrifice everything for him, even her own child.

In a separate but related case, Philip Carlin was sentenced to ten years in prison for the brutal murder of Chelsea. The court heard how he had burned her with a cigarette, twice shaken her violently, and starved her to death. The conditions Chelsea endured were described as appalling, with her kept in a locked room, food left outside her door, and her often left outside in cold weather in a dirty vest or T-shirt. Her half-brother, only ten years old, was left to care for her, often buying her chocolate to soothe her suffering, which Carlin would then force into her mouth.

Detective Superintendent Russ Walsh, with 34 years of experience, expressed his horror at the injuries inflicted on Chelsea, describing them as some of the most horrendous he had ever seen. He remarked that her suffering was beyond description and that her death might have been a mercy. The police and prosecution team explained that charges of manslaughter were not pursued due to the difficulty in establishing exactly who was responsible for each act of cruelty, but the evidence against Carlin was overwhelming.

As the case drew to a close, women in the public gallery wept as Judge Holloway condemned Carlin’s actions, emphasizing the deliberate and systematic nature of the abuse inflicted upon Chelsea. The images and evidence presented during the trial left a lasting impression on all who witnessed them, serving as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of child cruelty and neglect.