Alfie Phillips murder trial: Mother tells court she did not bite baby

A woman accused of murdering her 18-month-old son has said she did not bite him hard enough to leave a mark, but "nibbled" him to make him laugh.

Alfie Phillips died on 28 November 2020 with over 70 visible wounds, including human bite marks, Maidstone Crown Court has heard.

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

Asked if she bit him hard on the night he died, Ms Hedges said: "No I didn't."

Ms Hedges told defence counsel Jo Martin KC: "I didn't bite him to be horrible or malicious. I nibbled him on his sides. He found it funny. It made him laugh."

Asked how hard, Ms Hedges said: "Not hard."

Asked if she ever saw Mr Benham bite Alfie, Ms Hedges replied: "No."

The barrister said a forensic dentist found there was a probable bite mark on Alfie's back but had ruled out Mr Benham.

He asked Ms Hedges: "Did you bite him hard that night?"

She said: "I don't think so. No I didn't."

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

Asked about Alfie's sleep pattern, Ms Hedges said he "didn't want to go to bed".

Jurors heard Mr Benham suggested Ms Hedges gave Alfie a strong drink to settle, but Ms Hedges said it was "not the right thing to do".

Ms Martin said Mr Benham told the court he dipped Alfie's dummy in alcohol and asked if she was aware. Ms Hedges said she would have told him to stop if she had known.

The court heard about one incident in which Ms Hedges described finding blood on the carpet, a cushion and a tissue, but was told Alfie had fallen and hit his mouth on the oil heater.

Mr Benham had described how he held Alfie above him but he slipped out of his hands and hit his nose on Mr Benham's teeth, the court heard. Ms Hedges said she was not there and was unaware it had happened.

On one occasion, a dog knocked Alfie into a door frame, the court heard. Ms Hedges said: "I thought he'd bit his lip."

She said the money she spent on drugs - £80 a week - did not impact Alfie, adding: "I never used Alfie's money to buy drugs. He was clean, well dressed. I fed him, got him takeaways."

Ms Hedges told her barrister that when she heard Alfie had died "I rang my mum and was screaming down the phone to her that Jack had murdered my son".

She said she had not beaten Alfie deliberately and had not seen Mr Benham do so.

She said she would not have covered for Mr Benham.

Asked if she had seen Mr Benham murder Alfie, she replied: "No."

Ms Hedges said: "Alfie was absolutely everything to me. The day he was born was the best day of my life, being a mum, everything I ever imagined, he was cheeky, brought so much joy into our lives.

"The day he died a part of me died."

The trial continues.

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