Cruel mother convicted over Kemarni's death after claiming she 'loved and cared' for child

Alicia Watson cut a defiant and angry figure during much of her six days of evidence - accusing barristers of lying and dismissing the case against her as "disgustingly wrong".

Natalie Pope was convicted of causing or allowing Kemarni's death

On the fifth day of her testimony, the 30-year-old suffered a nosebleed and told the jury she was mentally and physically exhausted - and was "done" with giving evidence.

The trial judge at Birmingham Crown Court then allowed Watson to complete her testimony by videolink at HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire - with the end of her cross-examination limited to just one hour.

The "adjustments" to the normal rules surrounding the questioning of defendants were said to be reasonable given the information given to the court about Watson's health.

Watson had always insisted at trial that her son Kemarni Watson Darby must have been attacked by her former lover, Nathaniel Pope, while she was away from their flat, but also claimed she had no idea how he had suffered broken ribs.

Pope, 32, was unanimously convicted of the boy's murder on Tuesday, while jurors cleared Watson of that charge.

Kemarni Watson-Darby's mother was convicted of causing or allowing his death but cleared of murder

During questioning by Pope's QC Jonas Hankin she spoke of being "p***** off" with some of the questions ranged at her.

She also said she had continued to live with Pope for a significant period after Kemarni's death - but before she was charged - because she did not believe the claims being made about how her son had died.

During his time-limited questioning of Watson, prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC asked her to account for 34 non-medical related external injury sites found on Kemarni's body, including some containing multiple bruises.

Asked how many of the injuries she had been aware of, Watson replied: "None. He had old scarring from accidents but nothing new as far as I knew.

Kemarni Watson Darby with his mother Alicia Watson as they returned to the flat in West Bromwich on the day of his death

"I didn't cause them, I didn't see them. I loved and cared for my child for three years."

Claiming to have been horrified at "learning" of Kemarni's internal injuries, including damage to his abdomen, Watson repeatedly denied lying.

Mr Badenoch put it to Watson that she had not been living with a "secretive child abuser" but acted with Pope to abuse Kemarni "for days, months and hours on end".

Watson said the Crown's case was "disgustingly wrong", but jurors unanimously convicted her of child cruelty and causing or allowing her little boy's death, after a 65-day trial.