Former boyfriend of mother accused of murdering three-year-old denies relationship with her

Nathaniel Pope and Alicia Watson are accused of murdering Kemarni Watson Darby, as well as facing multiple charges of child cruelty.

As Pope's evidence drew to a close at Birmingham Crown Court he claimed despite living with Alicia Watson, 30, and sharing child care duties they "were not in a relationship".

After the three-year-old's tragic death in June 2018 the court heard Watson, of Evans Street, Wolverhampton, "stayed loyal" with Pope against the wishes of her family until the relationship ended in February 2019.

However, Pope said despite living together in a West Bromwich flat "they hardly spoke" and never got into "a deep conversation".

The 32-year-old of Raglan Road, Handsworth, who the court previously heard had convictions for crack and heroin dealing, told the court he had asked himself if he could done anything more to save the young boy when he died on June 5, 2018.

He had checked the boy's pulse but told court he could not remember which side of his neck the pulse was.

Pope's testimony has been called into question by barristers for the prosecution and defending Miss Watson after he conceded he had "just told some of the truth" about himself in evidence heard last week.

Under cross-examination by Watson's QC, Charles Sherrard, Pope denied he had lied to a court before being found guilty of burglary and sentenced in 2011.

During his questioning, Mr Sherrard told the court Pope had been sentenced to four months' imprisonment for common assault in May 2011, 12 months for burglary in September 2011, and 20 months for possessing heroin with intent to supply in July 2013.

Mr Sherrard also told jurors that drugs were found on Pope in March 2021 when he was "ultimately arrested at the point of being charged" with Kemarni's murder.

The QC said of the March 15 arrest: "On the journey to Oldbury Custody Suite and on arrival at Oldbury Custody Suite you were asked by police officers several times if you had anything secreted on your person that you needed to present to them.

"Each time you said to them 'no'. The custody suite police officers were authorised to conduct a strip search of you.

"Two police officers then took you into a room and asked again if you had any drugs secreted on your person. Once again, you said 'no'.

"A rock of 9.16 grammes of crack cocaine was found in a white tissue secreted between your buttocks."

After the judge told jurors it was for them to determine whether the previous convictions were relevant to the case, Mr Sherrard asked Pope about his evidence last week that he was "merely a recreational user of cannabis".

Mr Sherrard asked: "(In) 2013 you're a dealer of heroin and in 2021 it's crack cocaine. Are you saying that in between we should read into it there would have been nothing of the sort?"

Pope answered: "There was nothing of the sort."

The defendant further denied claims that he was "deceitful and devious" and was "not the person he had presented to the jury".

Both Pope and Watson deny the charges.

The trial continues.