by Julia Roberts

A potential jury has been selected to try the case of a Gravesend man accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a month-old baby.

Six men and six women were selected at random, with two potential reserves, to hear the trial of 36-year-old Nathan Rawling at Maidstone Crown Court.

Rawling was living in St Gregory's Crescent at the time the baby, who cannot be identified, suffered what were described by Judge Jeremy Carey as "life-threatening" injuries on December 1 2011.

Before swearing the jury, Judge Carey asked the 14 men and women chosen whether they may have already read or heard about the case, either in newspaper reports or via the Internet, and, if so, whether such information may affect their ability to hear the case.

"Some of you may have seen reports or comments on the Internet about the case and the nature and extent of the injuries that (the child) sustained," he explained.

"If you did read or hear about it, it is vital that you make that known to me. It is vital that the defendant has a fair trial. He must be tried by a jury of whose members are completely impartial and seen to be impartial.

"I must ask each of you to ask yourself two questions: 'Have I at any time read about or heard about this case via any medium' and 'if I have is there a risk that I have been influenced by what I have read or heard such that my ability to try this case according to the evidence, uninfluenced by what I have read or heard outside this court, will be affected?'"

Maidstone Crown Court, where Rawling faces trial

Judge Carey also expressed the seriousness of the two questions by informing the jury it was "not an invitation but a direction".

The potential jury was also informed of the names of witnesses and told that the trial could last up to five weeks.

They were then sent home for the day, with the prospect of being sworn and the trial starting today.

Judge Carey reinforced the standard warning that all jurors are given before the start of any trial that they must not access the Internet in relation to the case.