Kemarni-Watson Darby: Annoyed mother brands claims she beat toddler to death as 'evil'

The murder trial at Birmingham Crown Court has over run by six weeks, and Justice Amanda Tipples took the unusual step of allowing Alicia Watson to give evidence via video link from her jail, as well as giving prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC just one hour to cross-examine her.

Watson, who is accused along with her former boyfriend Nathaniel Pope of murdering three-year-old Kemarni and child cruelty, was short-tempered when questioned about her story changing during police interviews, and after the prosecution had rested their case.

Mr Badenoch said: "You have misled and deceived the court. You have weaved your story around the prosecution. You never once mentioned you thought Pope had injured Kemarni while you were on the school run until the trial. All these suggestions these horrific injuries happened while you were on the school run are fanciful."

She bit back: "These are evil suggestions. I am not lying. I never did anything to hurt my children. I have never been in trouble with social services, the school, the police, nothing."

Mr Badenoch alleged Kemarni was killed before Watson left to go on the school run on June 5, 2018, and Pope and Watson agreed to discipline the boy through regularly beatings which caused the internal bleeding from which he died.

Blue-haired Watson, who was wearing a silver jumper, said: "I did not abuse my child."

After the prosecution completed their allotted hour's questioning of Watson, her own barrister clarified some points made in Whatsapp exchanges and then rested the case for her defence. Pope's defence had previously been concluded.

The trial began in November but a succession of delays, including Justice Amanda Tipples contracting Covid, a juror going on holiday and over-running evidence, meant the trial which was meant to finish mid-January is still in progress.

However, after the judge gives the jury her directions and the prosecution and defence sum up their arguments, due to certain days jurors cannot attend, it could be another two weeks until a verdict is reached.

Kemarni's mother Alicia Watson, 30, of Raglan Road, Handworth, and her former boyfriend Nathaniel Pope, 32, of Evans Street, Wolverhampton, both deny murder and child cruelty.