Mother kicked toddler to death

Bobby Louch, who was 21 months old, had more than 80 bruises and injuries on his tiny body, the Old Bailey heard yesterday.

He suffered fatal damage to his brain and abdomen.

Most of the injuries were from the 48 hours leading up to his death on 29 December, 2008.

But Bobby had been treated for a broken leg three weeks earlier and was kept in for a scan when bruises were seen on his forehead.

The toddler's mother, Collette Harris, complained that she was being "victimised" and said that the bruises had been the result of the child banging his head on his cot.

A consultant at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent, who had seen Bobby before, sent him home the following day after checks were made.

Harris, 30, of Dartford, Kent, had denied killing Bobby or causing his injuries.

She screamed "Oh my God" and collapsed in tears as the jury found her guilty of murder yesterday.

Harris had tried to blame her new boyfriend, James Phillips, who denied killing Bobby or causing the injuries.

Mr Phillips, 25, of Erith, Kent, was found not guilty of murder and alternate charges of manslaughter and causing or allowing the child's death.