Phillip Welsh pleads guilty to manslaughter of baby Malcolm Bell

An Auckland man pleaded guilty to the murder of a baby on the eve of a jury trial.

Phillip John Welsh appeared in Auckland High Court today and admitted his role in the death of Malcolm Bell.

A jury trial for Welsh, 52, was due to start tomorrow.

On June 23 of last year, baby Malcolm was rushed to Starship Hospital with serious injuries.

He died six days later, prompting a homicide investigation involving more than 20 police officers.

Hospital staff alerted police to the boy’s injuries, who they believed were caused by someone else.

The Herald previously reported that Oranga Tamariki had been contacted with concerns about Malcolm’s well-being before he suffered fatal injuries.

After his death, the agency initially declined to comment before an Auckland manager said they had been working to provide support for him and his whānau prior to his death.

The Herald previously reported that the boy was the nephew of triple killer William Dwane Bell.

Malcolm’s maternal uncle killed three people during a drug-induced robbery at Mt Wellington Panmure RSA in December 2001.

William Bell is serving a 30-year sentence without parole.