Alfie Phillips murder trial: Mum could have left bite marks on toddler - court

A woman accused of killing her 18-month-old toddler during lockdown could have left the bite marks that were found on his body, a court has heard.

Alfie Phillips died on 28 November 2020 with multiple bruises and fractures, Maidstone Crown Court has been told.

His mother Sian Hedges, 27, and her former partner Jack Benham, 35, deny murdering the boy in a caravan in Kent.

Expert medical witness Dr Philip Marsden said he could not rule out Ms Hedges had caused the bite marks.

Ms Hedges, of Yelverton, Devon, and Mr Benham are accused of killing Alfie overnight in Benham's caravan in Hernhill, near Faversham.

Jurors have heard that Alfie died with over 70 visible wounds - including human bite marks - and many more internal injuries.

Dr Marsden, a forensic dentist and dental surgeon, used images of the defendants' teeth to overlay them on bite marks on Alfie's body.

He said he could not rule out that Ms Hedges had caused the marks, but his analysis did not show Mr Benham could have made them.

He said Ms Hedges' teeth could not be excluded from having caused a mark, "because there is a correlation between the angulations of her teeth and the mark".

He added: "The characteristics of Mr Benham's canine do not fit the orientation of the teeth and the marks."

Dr Marsden confirmed to the defence counsel he had not been needed at the post-mortem examination and he made his conclusions based on photographs.

The trial continues.

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