A FATHER is likely to have caused a skull fracture that could have contributed to the death of his baby son, an inquest heard.

Southampton Coroners Court heard how three month old Nico Maynard was found faced down in his Moses basket by his dad Hamid Baldelli at their Southampton home.

Although initially not treated as suspicious, inquiries by Hampshire police found that Mr Baldelli had previously been jailed for child cruelty, where a previous child of his was found with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.

An examination of Nico, who had a twin sister, found that he had previously suffered a leg fracture and had also had a fractured skull and associated brain injury that had been inflicted up to several days before his death that happened in September 2011.

An examination of his sister found that she also suffered a fractured leg and was suspected to have suffered a skull fracture which appeared to be healing.

Both Mr Baldelli and the children's mother Jodie Maynard were subsequently arrested with Nico's murder.

However, giving evidence pathologist Russell Delayney said several experts had not been able to conclude the exact cause of death. In the end it was agreed that the head injury could have been a contributing factor along with the baby having a pre existing lung condition and the fact he was sleeping faced down - a known risk factor in infant sudden deaths.

Coroner Keith Wiseman read extracts from a family court hearing which was dealing with the care of the surviving twin and in doing so, examined Nico 's death in detail.

In that case Mr Justice Baker found that on the balance of probabilities Mr Baldelli had inflicted the injuries to both children.

During those proceedings the court heard a probation report following his release from prison for his previous child cruelty conviction.

In it Mr Baldelli was described as being "a massive risk to children" and that should he have any further children he was to inform the local authority.

The court was told that not only did the couple not do that, but they also gave a false name on the children's birth certificate in order to evade detection.

The family court proceedings also heard evidence of Mr Baldelli's "uncontrollable" temper and that he was a man who was prone to bouts of anger.

In making his findings Mr Justice Baker described Ms Maynard as showing "an appalling failure to protect her children."

He added that had the couple been truthful to the authorities then Nico might well have been alive today.

Neither parent who had been living at Grange Road in Shirley, was ever charged over Nico's death or the injuries to his sister, after the Crown Prosecution Service decided the was not enough evidence to be sure who carried out the injuries or how they happened and given the inconclusive pathology reports.

In recording an open determination Keith Wiseman he said the verdict reflected the degree of uncertainty about the circumstances surrounding Nico's death.

Nico's death has also been the subject of a Serious Case Review where the authorities examine their role in cases where children have died or have been seriously injured.

The Local Safeguarding Children's Board called for a national register of child a users in order to better monitor them.

That recommendation has subsequently been rejected by the Home Office.