Mum accused of murdering children 'tried to sell sex as daughter lay in hospital’
A mother accused of murdering her two children offered a photographer sex in exchange for money while her daughter was seriously ill in hospital, a court has heard.
Part-time model Louise Porton, 23, is charged with killing Lexi Draper, three, and 16-month old Scarlett Vaughan, by "deliberately interfering with their breathing."
Lexi was found unconscious at her home in Skiddaw, Rugby, Warwickshire in the early hours of January 15 last year and later died in hospital.
Her younger sister Scarlett died after falling ill 18 days later on February 1.
Birmingham Crown Court has heard that Porton murdered the children after they became a "burden" to her.
On Tuesday, she admitted offering men sex in exchange for money when she was low on cash.
READ MORE
Boris Johnson ‘significantly less popular’ than Theresa May when she became UK prime minister
On one occasion, she also agreed to engage in sexual activity with a photographer named Mark and sent him explicit pictures while Lexi was in hospital.
Porton said she would accept money in exchange for sending him saucy snaps and had asked for payment because she had not received her benefits.
She also exchanged a series of messages with a hospital security guard she met while Lexi was in hospital.
Giving evidence, Porton told jurors: "I was having pictures taken of me. I would do that a few times a month. It was paid work.
"I also sold the photos through my phone. It was done by myself. I made those arrangements through an online site.
"I would use PurplePort [modelling website]. I would be paid for the pictures I sent on my phone.”
Porton said she would use dating website Badoo to chat to people and on the morning of January 5 was messaging a photographer called Mark.
"I was asking him to send me money whilst I was in hospital,” she said. “I was asking for the money because I hadn't been paid at the time from universal credit.
"I said to him I would send him an indecent image of me, I would usually be paid for that.
"I had agreed with him to engage in sexual activity during the photo-shoot in exchange for money whilst I was in hospital with Lexi.”
She said she also exchanged a series of messages with a hospital security guard called Richard.
Porton denied being responsible for the deaths and told the jury how she loved both her children and did not regret having them.
She admitted smacking Lexi on several occasions when she misbehaved but said: "I was the single parent of Scarlett and Lexi. They were funny, always making me laugh, I tried to give them what ever they wanted.
"It wasn't the easiest things to do being a parent, but I could cope with it. I did not regret having either of my children. I loved Lexi and I loved Scarlett.
"I wouldn't swear at my children. I wasn't verbally aggressive or physically violent towards them.”
She also admitted leaving her children alone while she went to the shop several times a week saying: “I would be away for no more than four or five minutes.
"I did that two or three times a week. There was no issues as far as I was concerned."
Porton said she first took Lexi to hospital after she had a fit on January 2, 2018 and denied waiting for 10 minutes before calling 999 when she suffered another seizure.