A DOCTOR told a murder trial he thought a six-week-old baby had been “hurled by the leg” and his head “smashed against a hard surface” shortly before dying.

Winchester Crown heard from consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans who also said the baby, who died on February 11, suffered an “intentional” bite to the nose.

It comes as the boy’s 17-year-old father stands trial for murder, while the 19-year-old mother is accused of neglect. Neither can be identified for legal reasons.

Dr Evans told the jury he thought the defendants’ accounts of either the baby being dropped or falling from a sofa didn’t explain the injuries, which included a fractured femur, rib fractures, and the bite to the nose.

The court previously heard from a teenage witness, who also cannot be named, that she was smoking with the mother outside her flat when they heard a “thud”. They went back inside where she said the father was picking up the baby.

Later, she said the father had been playing with the baby when he “managed to bite his nose”, although she admitted she did not directly see either incident.

However, the court today heard that was disputed by the mother, who said in a police interview she was inside crying when she heard the incident, and that she also didn’t see it.

She said they had been arguing and was not aware of the full extent of the baby’s injuries, some of which are alleged to have been caused before that night.

The mother added: “I really, truly wish I had broken up with him in October when I was pregnant,” after saying he had been “violent” towards her. During the police interview, she also described him as “very controlling”, but said she had never known him to hurt the baby.

When questioned why she didn’t call police over the father’s behaviour on the night the baby died, she responded: “I don’t know.” She was then accused of “allowing this to happen through your own inaction”, which she denied.

Both deny the charges. The trial continues.