A PART-time model accused of murdering her two children offered a photographer sex in exchange for money while her daughter was seriously ill in hospital, a court heard.
Louise Porton, 23, has gone on trial charged with killing three-year-old Lexi Draper and 16-month old Scarlett Vaughan, by “deliberately interfering with their breathing.”
Lexi was found unconscious at her home in Skiddaw in the early hours of January 15 last year and later died in hospital.
Her little sister Scarlett passed away after falling ill just 18 days later on February 1.
Porton is accused of murdering the youngsters after they became a “burden” to her and got in the way of her lifestyle.
She gave evidence at her trial at Birmingham Crown Court and admitted offering men sex in exchange for money when she was low on cash.
On one occasion she also agreed to engage in sexual activity with a photographer named Mark and send him explicit pictures while Lexi was in hospital.
Porton said she would receive money 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 during Lexi’s stay.
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.
“Badoo was a dating website, I would use it to chat. On the morning January 5, I was messaging Mark the photographer.
“I was asking him to send me money whilst I was in hospital, I was asking for the money because I hadn’t been paid at the time from universal credit.
“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.
“In the early hours of January 6, I exchanged a series of messages with a man called Richard, a guard at the hospital.
“Lexi was on the bed asleep whilst I was exchanging the messages, I was worried about her. I generally felt upset about Lexi.”
Porton denied being responsible for the deaths and told the jury how she loved both her children and did not regret having them.
She said she was not physically violent towards her kids but admitted smacking Lexi on several occasions when she misbehaved.
She 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 thing 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 had smacked one of the children, it was Lexi, I smacked because she was trying to rip up a homework book.
“I smacked her on the bottom about two or three times, it would’ve been a light tap instead of a smack.
“I didn’t smack her often, I have never smacked Scarlett.”
Porton also admitted leaving her children alone while she went to the shop several times a week.
She added: “I left them in the room so I could get milk, 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 ten minutes before calling 999 when she suffered another seizure.
She said: “I had gone to the council on January 10, and an employee had given me cash and a food-bank token.
“I had spoken to the employee about Lexi being in hospital, I told her Lexi had a fit.
“I didn’t say to her that I watched Lexi fitting for ten minutes nor I did say she had overheated.
“Lexi didn’t show any signs of being unwell before her shaking. She didn’t seem right after being in hospital.
“She was more tired and not eating as much as she would.”
The trial continues.
