Man murdered partner's toddler son by 'kicking or punching' him, court told

A "callous" 22-year-old man murdered his partner's two-year-old boy by "kicking or punching" him in the stomach while the child's mother had gone to the shops, a UK court has heard.

Man murdered partner's toddler son by 'kicking or punching' him, court told

A "callous" 22-year-old man murdered his partner's two-year-old boy by "kicking or punching" him in the stomach while the child's mother had gone to the shops, a UK court has heard.

Joseph Eke is accused of causing the injury that killed Harry House at the family home in Main Street, Broadmayne, Dorset, on May 26 last year.

He is also accused of causing a wound that scarred the toddler's face two months earlier on Easter Sunday and causing fractured ribs in the week before his death.

Adam Feest QC, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court that Harry's mother, Lauren O'Neill, had gone to a local shop at 9.27am, about 100 metres from their home, to get washing powder.

A few minutes after she returned she asked the defendant to check if Harry had tidied his bedroom, and he came back saying the child looked like he was going to be sick before he turned "very white", his lips started turning blue and he became "very droopy", the court heard.

Mr Feest said paramedics tried to save Harry's life but he was pronounced dead at hospital in Dorchester at 11am and a post-mortem examination showed he had a "potentially fatal" fractured skull.

The prosecutor said Harry died as a result of a blunt-force impact to the abdomen which was of such force to split the pancreas in two.

He said: "The defendant attacked Harry in such a violent way he caused multiple severe internal injuries and skull fracture.

"The force would have been severe and significant and in landing that blow or blows on such a small child, that degree of force would have been obvious to the defendant."

He said Harry had bruises to his front and a cut lip which Miss O'Neill and Eke said they had not seen before, and both told police that the last time Miss O'Neill saw Harry he was well and unhurt.

Mr Feest said Eke and Miss O'Neill had a normal relationship although she said it could become "stressy" at times.

He said Eke would help with Harry's childcare but he had a "fear of pooing himself" after being beaten as a child and would not help with changing nappies.

Mr Feest told the court that Harry suffered a wound on his right cheek, from his lips to his ear, on Easter Sunday, again while his mother had gone to the local shop.

The defendant claims Harry fell and cut his face on a plate on the floor but the youngster, who was scarred by the wound, told his great-grandmother that Eke pushed him.

Mr Feest said this injury was subject to a charge of unlawful wounding and was a sign of the defendant's "callous and complete disregard to the safety and wellbeing of the child in his care".

Eke, of St Lawrence Road, Upwey, Weymouth, denies murder and charges of wounding, causing actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

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