Jurors have listened to a police interview where a man accused of murdering a Darlington toddler denies shaking him while he was in his care.

Charlie Roberts suffered fatal head injuries just minutes after his mother, Paula, had left him with her boyfriend, Christopher Stockton, while she went to an eye appointment.

Midway through the murder trial, Roberts pleaded guilty to child neglect when she accepted that she failed to seek medical attention for injuries suffered her son’s ear and penis in the month leading up to his death.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Charlie Roberts was found unresponsive by paramedics when they arrived at his Darlington home and despite their best efforts, he passed away the following day.

Stockton denies murder and a further charge of child cruelty.

Charlie RobertsCharlie Roberts (Image: Family handout)

A transcript of Stockton’s police interview following Charlie’s death was read out to the jury.

The 38-year-old told them he had not ‘physically harmed Charlie’ when they quizzed him about how the toddler suffered the fatal bleed on the brain.

Stockton replied: “I don’t know, I can’t explain them. If I knew, I would explain them, I honestly don’t know.”

As the detectives continued to question Stockton, he replied: “I haven’t shaken the child. I don’t go around hurting children. I have had plenty of children in my care and never hurt any of them.”

The defendant told officers how he had tried to get something out of the toddler's throat as he thought he was choking on a biscuit.

However, medical experts said there was no evidence that the toddler had choked on anything in the minutes before he fell seriously ill.

Earlier in the trial, jurors were told how the bleed on the toddler’s brain was likely to have been caused when he was shaken and not from a fall.

Christopher Stockton, left, with Charlie Roberts and his mother, PaulaChristopher Stockton, left, with Charlie Roberts and his mother, Paula (Image: Facebook)

Charlie, who was one year and ten months old when he died, had suffered several injuries in the months and weeks leading up to his death.

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The judge, Mr Justice Goss, told jurors to ignore the fact that Roberts had pleaded guilty to child neglect and reminded them to only take into consideration evidence relating to Stockton.

He said: “It (the guilty plea) is not relevant to the trial. There has been no evidence from Paula Roberts and there will be no evidence to be heard from her.

“She will no longer play any part in this trial.”

The trial continues.