Mum branded baby son ‘little ‘s**t’ in texts to new boyfriend before pair ‘murdered tot and left him with 70 injuries’
A MUM branded her son a “little s**t” in texts to her new boyfriend before the pair murdered the baby, a court heard.
Alfie Phillips was left with 70 separate injuries and had cocaine in his body after he died following a string of attacks.
The 18-month-old was allegedly murdered by his mum Sian Hedges, 27, and her new partner Jack Benham, 35, at a caravan in Hernhill, Kent.
Maidstone Crown Court heard Hedges had considered adoption after she fell pregnant with Alfie in September 2018 but eventually decided to keep the baby.
The youngster was a “normal, healthy baby who grew and thrived during the early months of his life”, it was said.
But jurors were told this changed when Hedges began a relationship with Benham after splitting with Alfie’s dad.
Family members started to notice bruises on the tot, which Hedges blamed on him being “clumsy”, it was said.
In September 2019, the mum took Alfie to Estuary View Medical Centre where staff noted he had a cut under his eye.
The following month, Hedges messaged Benham saying: “little s**t bit my arm this morning, f***** hurt”.
He responded by suggesting she should bite the tot back “but not as hard”, jurors heard.
The pair also allegedly exchanged texts about the baby “crying all night”.
On November 27, 2020, Alfie was seen by members of Benham’s family looking “well and without injuries”.
The court heard he was taken back to the caravan and was not seen by anyone else until 11.30am the next day when Benham emerged carrying the “blue and floppy” baby who was not breathing.
Benham’s mum performed CPR until paramedics arrived and took over but it was immediately apparent Alfie had been dead “for some time”, jurors were told.
A post mortem later revealed Alfie had sustained 31 injuries to his head and neck, 11 to his arms, 17 to his legs and 11 to his torso.
He had multiple fractures to several ribs and his sternum, both arms and his left and right big toe.
Jennifer Knight KC, prosecuting, said: “It is clear that Alfie was deliberately injured on more than one occasion, culminating in an assault perpetrated during the night that led to his death.”
Benham, of Hernhill, and Hedges, of Yelverton, Devon, deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
The trial continues.