Ayeeshia Jane Smith: Stepfather 'never raised a hand' to her

Ayeeshia Jane Smith was 21 months old when she died in May 2014

A stepfather jointly accused of murdering a 21-month-old girl told police he "never raised a hand" to her.

Ayeeshia Jane Smith died at her home in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, when her heart was torn by a forceful stamp, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

Matthew Rigby suggested her ruptured heart and broken ribs may have been sustained during his attempts at CPR.

Ayeeshia's mother Kathryn Smith, 23, and her partner Mr Rigby, 22, both from Nottingham, deny murder.

More updates on the Ayeeshia Jane Smith murder trial

Kathryn Smith and Matthew Rigby are on trial at Birmingham Crown Court charged with murder, causing Ayeeshia's death and child cruelty

Transcripts of Mr Rigby's police interviews conducted shortly after Ayeeshia's death in May 2014 were read out to the jury.

When asked if he had deliberately caused the toddler's injuries he replied: "How dare you?

"She's not even my child, I've never raised a hand to her."

Mr Rigby said Ayeeshia had an undiagnosed milk intolerance which meant she could have lacked calcium in her bones.

'Families stick together'

He said he may have caused injuries carrying out CPR on the laminate floor of the front room.

"Her ribs would have been like paper," he said.

When officers suggested the child may have been stamped to death, Rigby replied: "How can you state that opinion?

"You say it's not (caused by) CPR but I'll tell you until I'm blue in the face that it is."

Mr Rigby said his relationship with Ayeesha's mother, was "brilliant", describing how they met in a block of flats in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, where a friend lived.

He added: "We're a family. Families stick together."

Asked if Ms Smith might have inflicted the injuries on her daughter, Mr Rigby replied: "I couldn't physically sleep next to a woman capable of that."

Ms Smith, of Sandfield Road, Nottingham and Mr Rigby, of Sloan Drive, Nottingham have also pleaded not guilty to allowing or causing a child's death and child cruelty.

The trial continues.