Couple on trial for toddler death

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A man killed his girlfriend's two-year-old son after subjecting him to weeks of "systematic physical violence", a court in Cheshire has heard.

Joshua Jones died from swelling to the brain after he was allegedly struck on the head by Wayne Davenport at their home in Runcorn in 2007.

Mr Davenport, 26, the partner of Nichola Bowman, 24, Joshua's mother, is accused of manslaughter.

At Chester Crown Court the pair both denied causing or allowing his death.

The toddler had been with Mr Davenport at their home when he was hurt, the court heard.

Prosecutors claimed the toddler had woken up crying at the house on Tilbury Place and Mr Davenport "lost his patience" and hit him, causing swelling to the brain.

The medical staff, social workers and police officers...made their suspicions abundantly clear Michael Chamber QC, prosecution barrister

Michael Chambers QC, prosecuting, said: "Joshua's death should never have been allowed to happen."

Miss Bowman, who was not home at the time of the alleged assault on 6 November, is on trial because she did not "protect her son against the physical abuse of her boyfriend", added Mr Chambers.

When the child was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead, doctors found a number of injuries on his body.

He was also found to have bite marks on his arm which matched the dentures of Mr Davenport, prosecutors said.

Fractured arm

The jury was told Miss Bowman was aware of her boyfriend's hard line views on reprimanding children and knew that her son was scared of Mr Davenport.

A few weeks earlier, on 26 October, she took Joshua to hospital with a fractured arm and multiple bruises.

Mr Chambers added: "The medical staff, social workers and police officers who became involved at that stage made their suspicions abundantly clear to her."

"We suggest that she contrived with her family to prevent social services and the police from gaining the full picture to prevent Joshua from being taken into care."

The court heard social services had not been involved before so gave her "the benefit of the doubt".

The trial is expected to last six weeks.