Mum hid camera to spy on boy's accused killer

Charlie Roberts was 22 months old when he died

A mother set up a spy camera over concerns her partner was abusing her toddler son, a murder trial has heard.

Charlie Roberts, 22 months old, was in the sole care of Christopher Stockton, 38, when he suffered a fatal head injury at his home in Darlington in January, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Mr Stockton denies murder and child cruelty and queried why he was left alone with Charlie if there were concerns he was ill-treating him.

Charlie's mother Paula Roberts, 41, has admitted child neglect by failing to get her son medical treatment when he was injured in the weeks before his death.

Jurors have heard Mr Stockton called 999 to say Charlie had collapsed at their home on Frosterley Drive just 18 minutes after being left with the toddler on 12 January.

He claimed Charlie was choking on a biscuit but doctors were immediately suspicious, with Charlie dying the next day from a catastrophic brain injury.

Mr Stockton, who began a relationship with Roberts in early 2023, was interviewed a number of times by police in the days after Charlie's death, with the transcripts read to jurors.

In his final interview, officers said Roberts had installed a camera above Charlie's cot in September 2023.

Paula Roberts bought a camera...

...which she hid in a plant above Charlie's cot

The detective told Mr Stockton Roberts had been concerned after hearing him put Charlie to bed.

She said the boy had cried out but then quickly stopped, leading her to believe he may have been "muffled" by having a hand placed over his mouth, the court heard.

"Did that ever happen?" the police officer asked, to which Mr Stockton replied: "No."

He said he "shushed" Charlie by telling him there was "no need" to cry, which calmed the boy.

Mr Stockton said he knew about the camera but had not been told it was because of concerns about him.

He said why, if Roberts did indeed suspect he was harming her son, was he still left in sole charge of Charlie on multiple occasions, adding: "Nobody at any point raised any concern."

The court heard social services had previously investigated after bruises were found on Charlie, but no further action was deemed necessary.

Mr Stockton also queried why the camera was "never on".

Christopher Stockton said he was regularly in sole charge of Charlie Roberts

He agreed Charlie was perfectly well when Roberts left their home at about 08:45 on 12 January.

Mr Stockton admitted he had been awake until 05:30, waking three hours later, as he was watching TV and struggling with pneumonia.

The interviewing officer suggested he might therefore have been "tired" and "possibly irritable", to which Mr Stockton replied: "No, not with Charlie."

He said the toddler was initially upset his mother had left, but then was happy to play with a plastic tunnel in their living room.

Mr Stockton told police Charlie emerged from the tunnel, made a sound as if he was choking and collapsed, prompting the 999 call.

'Impossible picture'

Police officers said there was no evidence of Charlie choking but doctors had found he had suffered a major blow to his head which would have resulted in an almost instant collapse and led to his death.

"I can't explain that," Mr Stockton said, adding: "He didn't bang his head while he was with me."

The interviewing officer said Mr Stockton was painting an "impossible" picture and offered him the "opportunity" to change his account.

Mr Stockton, a mechanical engineer, replied: "You can give me as many opportunities as you like but I've given you the truth for what happened that morning.

"I can't give it any other way because that's exactly what happened."

The trial continues.