Kemarni Watson Darby: Man 'did nothing to harm' child

Nathaniel Pope began the first day of his evidence at Birmingham Crown Court

A man accused of murdering his partner's three-year-old son has told a court he did nothing to harm him on three occasions they were alone.

Nathaniel Pope, 31, said he had not seen or heard anything to suggest Kemarni Watson Darby was unwell.

The boy suffered fatal abdominal injuries at the flat where he lived with Mr Pope and mother Alicia Watson in West Bromwich.

The pair both deny murder and child cruelty charges.

Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, Mr Pope, of Wolverhampton, was asked questions by his barrister Jonas Hankin QC about the days leading up to Kemarni's death.

Mr Pope told the court he was a recreational drug user, smoking "home-grown weed" mainly from Jamaica, which he said made him calmer, but alleged Ms Watson, 30, of Handsworth, had smoked "stronger" skunk cannabis.

'Thumbs up gestures'

He described Kemarni as "happy" and "very energetic", and said he had found him an "easy" child but who had not always listened to his mother.

Mr Pope also claimed he had heard Ms Watson slapping Kemarni during the three months he lived at the flat, adding: "I just saw it as her way of parenting."

Questioned about the events before the alleged murder, he said he remembered Ms Watson talking on the phone to someone, saying she was taking Kemarni to see a doctor.

Mr Pope added he had not done anything to harm Kemarni during three specific periods of time when he was alone with him at the flat.

After telling the court how he had exchanged "thumbs up" gestures with Kemarni, he said he had not seen anything which had made him think Kemarni was seriously unwell.

The trial continues.