Finley Boden: Dad accused of murder says he never deliberately hurt boy

Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden are standing trial at Derby Crown Court

A father accused of murdering his 10-month-old son on Christmas Day said he never "deliberately" hurt his child.

Stephen Boden and partner Shannon Marsden are accused of killing Finley Boden during the 2020 Covid lockdown, 39 days after he was placed back into their care by social services.

Prosecutors previously told the trial Finley was found to have 130 "appalling" injuries.

Mr Boden, 30, gave evidence at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday.

'Under pressure'

He admitted he told police in an interview he may have "rocked" Finley "too hard", which could have accidentally caused the injuries but said this was never an attempt to hurt him.

"When I used to rock Finley, he used to like it quite fast and strong when we did it but it got to the point where I had to give some kind of explanation as to how it could have happened," he said.

"I felt under pressure to give some type of explanation [to police]."

Mr Boden admitted he continued a sexual relationship with Ms Marsden after being arrested and bailed in late 2020, despite them not being allowed to contact each other under their bail conditions.

After being arrested again and remanded in custody in 2022, the pair sent Valentine's Day cards and letters to each other, in which Marsden, 22, said she would love Boden "forever" and would "always be standing by".

Last month a trial heard she told police Mr Boden had inflicted the fatal injuries on her son.

Boden, of Romford Way in Barrow Hill, Chesterfield, and Marsden, of no fixed address, deny murder, two counts of child cruelty, and two charges of causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.