A MAN accused of the murder of his baby son said he was going to “shut him up” shortly before the little boy died, a court has heard. Describing the events of May 25 and 26 last year, Samantha Askew, 32, told how she had been viciously beaten by her ex-boyfriend and father of her children, Duncan Mills, 31, at her father's home in Ipswich.

A MAN accused of the murder of his baby son said he was going to “shut him up” shortly before the little boy died, a court has heard.

Describing the events of May 25 and 26 last year, Samantha Askew, 32, told how she had been viciously beaten by her ex-boyfriend and father of her children, Duncan Mills, 31, at her father's home in Ipswich.

The opening of Mills' trial at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday heard he then assaulted his baby son, Luigi Askew, causing injuries that lead to the infant's death in hospital.

Mills, of London Road, Ipswich, has denied murdering his son and also denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Miss Askew.

Miss Askew told the jury that Mills had arrived at her father's house at Lanercost Way, Ipswich, and was unhappy that their eldest son, Kwame aged two, was sitting on a dirty sofa.

She said that Mills then began viciously assaulting her, at one point punching her with a hand weapon which was “gold and chunky” and sat on his knuckles.

She said he also dragged her by her clothes into the kitchen and gave her a knife and urged her to stab him but she had refused. He then beat her with a rubber hammer while sitting on top of her in the living room.

Miss Askew, who was now bleeding from the head, managed to get upstairs to check on Kwame, who she had earlier moved upstairs, before Mills followed her.

She said she could hear Luigi crying downstairs but she was not able to get up from the floor.

She told the court that Mills said “I am going to shut him up. I cannot stand this crying”, before he went downstairs.

Miss Askew then told how she heard noises like someone was smacking someone and a sound like someone getting knocked against a radiator.

She said that Luigi stopped crying but soon started again, although it was not his normal cry.

She said Mills told her to get Luigi from downstairs but he gave her a choice - he would either throw her over the balcony or she could throw herself down. She decided to throw herself down.

After picking Luigi out of his cot, she said she went back upstairs and noticed that his face, belly and legs were covered in bruises. She said his breathing was also funny and sounded wheezy.

Miss Askew told the jury that Mills started panicking “about going to jail” and threatened to kill her and Kwame if he went to jail.

She said: “I told him that I would make a story up that two men broke into the house and beat us up. He agreed to that and left by the back door. I just wanted to get Luigi to hospital. I was petrified that he might die and I was petrified for mine and Kwame's life.”

A neighbour saw Miss Askew as she ran outside, at about 8.30am on Saturday May 26, and contacted the paramedics and the police. Luigi died later in hospital from head and abdominal injuries.

The trial continues today.