Witnesses who testified in court said they
heard a “child’s fearful voice saying sorry”, loud banging, and a man
screaming about the loss of a shoe during a violent assault on the
evening of 20 November, 2016.
It was gathered that Alex Malcolm died as a result of the fatal head and stomach injuries he sustained from the incident
“The
prosecution say that he died at the hands of this defendant, a man who
was looking after him, acting as his stepfather, but who on the
afternoon/early evening of November 20 last year, lost his temper and
violently assaulted the boy, causing him fatal head and stomach
injures,” said the prosecutor, Eleanor Laws QC.
A
jury of seven men and five women heard he was in a relationship with
Alex’s mother, Lilya Breha, and would often stay at her flat in Catford.
One witness, Sarah Strugnell, allegedly saw Iheanacho bend down to the
child and ask where his shoes were.
“The man
was very angry indeed and Sarah Strugnell describes how he was raging at
the child who was very quiet,” said the prosecutor.
Judge
Mark Dennis QC told jurors the main issue in the case is how Alex
sustained those injuries and said the trial will last between two and
three weeks. The trial continues.