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| Brandon accused 'was good mother' | Brandon accused 'was good mother' |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| A woman accused of killing her 23-month-old son in Dundee told police she was a good mother who would do "anything" for him, a court has heard. | |
| The jury at the High Court in Glasgow has been shown a DVD of Heather Boyd, 23, being questioned by officers following the death of Brandon Muir. | The jury at the High Court in Glasgow has been shown a DVD of Heather Boyd, 23, being questioned by officers following the death of Brandon Muir. |
| In the recording, Ms Boyd admits shouting and swearing at Brandon. | In the recording, Ms Boyd admits shouting and swearing at Brandon. |
| Ms Boyd denies the culpable homicide of her son. Robert Cunningham, 23, denies murdering him in March last year. | Ms Boyd denies the culpable homicide of her son. Robert Cunningham, 23, denies murdering him in March last year. |
| In the police interview, Ms Boyd said Brandon was a "clumsy" child, who often "fell or tripped." I never touched him that day Heather Boyd | |
| She described Mr Cunningham, who she had started dating a few months earlier, as "caring" and said that he was "good" with Brandon. | |
| Ms Boyd said that on 15 March, the day Brandon fell ill, her son was "pale" in the morning and later she found him standing at a wall crying. | |
| She broke down as Det Con Paul Romanowski questioned her about the incident. | |
| The detective asked: "What has happened to your wee boy, who has hurt him?" | |
| She replied: "I never touched him that day." | |
| He went on: "If it was not you, that's fine. If you know what happened..." | |
| Boyd said: "I don't know."Heather Boyd told police she would do 'anything' for her children | |
| Ms Boyd said that she once found "strange" bruises near Brandon's hips, but could not state when. | |
| During an angry exchange, Det Con Romanowski said: "If I am annoying, that's too bad, but your son is dead. | |
| "We don't know what happened and we need to see if there is anything that can help us. Are you wanting to know how Brandon died?" | |
| She replied: "Yes, he was my wee boy." | |
| She later told police that she left Brandon, even though he was sick, to meet a prostitute friend to buy heroin. | |
| Det Con Romanowski asked: "Are you a good mum?" | |
| Ms Boyd replied: "Yes, I would do anything for the kids." | |
| Ms Boyd was also questioned about an alleged assault where she hit Brandon so hard her hand "tingled". | |
| She replied that she did not mean to hit him so hard. | |
| Assaults | |
| Mr Cunningham is accused of murder by assaulting Brandon so severely on 15 March last year at two flats in Balunie Crescent that he died the following day in hospital. | Mr Cunningham is accused of murder by assaulting Brandon so severely on 15 March last year at two flats in Balunie Crescent that he died the following day in hospital. |
| Mr Cunningham and Ms Boyd also face a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008. | Mr Cunningham and Ms Boyd also face a charge of repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating Brandon between October 2007 and March 2008. |
| Ms Boyd is accused of assaulting her son at Douglas Family Centre in Dundee on 5 March last year. | Ms Boyd is accused of assaulting her son at Douglas Family Centre in Dundee on 5 March last year. |
| Mr Cunningham is also charged with repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating another young boy at properties in Dundee between October 2007 and March 2008. | Mr Cunningham is also charged with repeatedly and wilfully ill-treating another young boy at properties in Dundee between October 2007 and March 2008. |
| The pair deny all charges. | The pair deny all charges. |
| The trial, before Judge John Morris QC, continues. | The trial, before Judge John Morris QC, continues. |