A 21-MONTH-OLD baby with around 40 injuries to his head and body died from “deliberate and repeated violence”, the Old Bailey heard today.

Bobby Louch, the son of Collette Harris, died on December 29, 2008.

A post-mortem examination found he had severe injuries to his abdomen, extensive bleeding within the skull, damage to the brain, bruising, two fractured ribs and a burned hand.

Harris, aged 30, and her then boyfriend James Phillips, aged 25, both of Halcot Avenue, Bexleyheath, deny murdering her son.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam said: “The two most significant injuries were to his head and abdomen.

“The sum total of the injuries to his head was such that he is unlikely to have been remotely normal thereafter.”

He said the abdomen injury was perhaps the result of a “punch or kick to the stomach” and the likely cause of the brain damage was “multiple punches or kicks to the head”.

There was also a bruise on the child's ear consistent with a “forceful pinching” and “an attempt to pick up the child by this means”.

Mr Whittam told the jury: “Timing apart, there is compelling evidence that the multiple injuries suffered by Bobby Louch were the result of deliberate and repeated violence.”

The court was told how Bobby had been taken to Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford, just three weeks before his death, with a broken leg and bruises to his forehead.

Mr Whittam said: “Some hospital staff had suspicions these injuries were non-accidental and carried out further tests.”

These tests allegedly “upset” Harris, who told the child's father Dan Louch that staff were “victimising” her.

The court heard that on one occasion in the run-up to Christmas 2008 Mr Louch claimed he had raised his hand as if to smack Bobby and the child had “cowered down and put his hands on his head” - something he had never done before.

The family had been due to attend a party on December 28 but on the day before said they could not make it.

Mr Whittam told the jury: “Is there any reason – good reason – that she didn't want other members of the family seeing Bobby?”

On December 28, a friend of Phillips, Levi Cunningham, saw Bobby at the house.

He claimed the child looked ill and had a bruise on his ribs.

When he asked if the baby should be taken to hospital, Harris allegedly replied: “How can I take him to the hospital with bruises like that on his body.

“They will think I am beating him up or something.”

The next morning at around 9am, Harris allegedly found the baby dead.

She told police later: “He was just lying there with his mouth open without the dummy in his mouth. It was really weird.”

Harris said: “I called 'Bob' and nothing. And I had this gut feeling – I just knew.”

She told police she began screaming and was shouting: “The baby's dead."

Ambulance staff arrived at around 9.24am and thought the child had been dead for some time.

Concerned at his injuries, they contacted police.

At the hospital, it is alleged Harris said to her mother: “I should have given or left him with you when he was sick. This wouldn't have happened.”

When she was eventually charged with murder she told police: “Oh god. Someone killed my baby.”

She later said: “I just thought he wasn't well.”

In police interviews, Harris claimed the bruises were a result of Bobby headbutting his cot.

She claimed the bruising to his ribs may have been caused by children of a friend picking Bobby up.

When asked about his fatal injuries she replied: “I haven't got a clue. That's the first I've heard of it.”

She told them: “I swear to God I didn't do it.”

Harris and Phillips also deny an alternative charge of causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.