AN 18-YEAR-OLD man has been found guilty of killing and assaulting his older lover's three-year-old son.

Cameron Rose, of Court Road, Eltham, killed epileptic Rhys Lawrie at the home of the toddler's mother Sadie Henry in Columbus Square, Erith, on January 21 last year.

Rhys died in Darent Valley Hospital from a subdural brain hemorrhage after suffering serious head injuries.

The boy's face, ears and the trunk of his body were also covered in a "multiplicity of bruises" and the tibia in his right leg was broken when he died.

Prosecutor Sally Howes QC put forward evidence from medical experts suggesting Rhys "could have been swung by the right leg causing impact to the head or face".

But Rose claimed he had put the youngster to bed following a seizure only for Miss Henry to find him dead when she returned to the flat.

Rose was accused of assaulting Rhys on two occasions he was left alone to care for him in December 2010 and on January 17 last year.

He was acquitted of one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm from December, but was convicted of the second charge from the following month.

Rose claimed dark purple and red bruising to Rhys's face and ears, evident after he had looked after him on January 17, was caused accidentally.

He claimed he elbowed Rhys accidentally in his sleep before the toddler fell from a kitchen counter while Rose was fetching an ice pack for his injuries.

Rose said bruising to the youngster's face after they were left alone just before Christmas 2010 was caused when the three-year-old fell off a table while the pair were playing a game.

An Old Bailey jury took five hours to find Rose guilty of manslaughter and not guilty of murder after retiring yesterday morning.

Rose will be sentenced on November 29.