A TEENAGER accused of murdering a three-year-old boy has claimed the boy's mother told him to "tell lies" about his death.

Cameron Rose, aged 18, of Court Road, Eltham, is accused of murdering Rhys Lawrie in January last year at his mother's flat in Columbus Square, Erith.

Rose, then 16, was in a relationship with the toddler's Mum Sadie Henry, aged 28.

Today (OCT 23) Rose told the Old Bailey he was encouraged to lie by ex-army medic Miss Henry and his own brother Gareth Norris.

He told the jury of seven men and five women: "They asked me to change certain things about what happened.

"Sadie and Gareth were trying to tell me to tell lies to cover a lot about what happened.”

He added: "I didn't know why they asked me. Sadie was coming up with stories, Gareth was coming up with stories."

Rose claimed he was asked to lie the day of Rhys's death on January 21 last year.

The toddler was brought to Darent Valley Hospital with severe head injuries from which he did not recover.

Rose told the jury the pressure to change "slight bits" of his story was to stop his mother finding out about the illicit relationship with Miss Henry.

He said: "My understanding about this whole lie that was going on was that my mother shouldn't know what happened."

The teenager described the moment he was told Rhys had died having been left alone in his care.

Asking permission to swear, Rose told the jury: "I said 'God's a p***k then' because I literally couldn't understand what was going on.

"It didn't seem like reality if you know what I mean.

"You don't expect stuff like that."

Rose denies one count of murder and two of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.