A father jealous of his newborn baby son pressed his face against the bars of a burning gas fire before he beat him to death, a court heard.

Ashen-faced jurors were shown pictures of the terrible injuries inflicted on baby Aaron Hughes, who lived just 92 days.

But in that time his father, Paul O'Neil, 33, resentful of the attention his son received from his mother, subjected him to a catalogue of beatings and abuse, it is alleged.

The harrowing details were outlined before a jury of four women and eight men at a hushed Newcastle Crown Court today.

In his three months of life little Aaron had been burnt with a cigarette, scalded with hot water and had numerous bones in his body broken.

It is claimed that O'Neil resented the tot because of the amount of time the boy's mother Jody Taylor, 19, spent with him.

Prosecutor Paul Worsley QC said: "The defendant resented Aaron and the attention Jody Taylor paid him.

"You may conclude he held that baby's face against the fire to punish him."

The court heard how the catalogue of horror suffered by the tot was revealed after he was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital on February 11 last year when O'Neil claimed he had choked on his bottle while they were alone.

The baby died in hospital that night and examinations after his death revealed the extent of his injuries.

Medics found as well as the obvious burns to his face and hand, the tot had three skull fractures, a fractured left shoulder, three fractured ribs, nine healing fractures to his ribs and both his calf bones had been fractured.

The youngster was also covered in bruises, burns, abrasions, had an injury to the inside of his mouth consistent with him being slapped and a scalded neck.

The final assault on him caused damage and swelling to his brain which resulted in his heart stopping.

Mr Worsley told the court: "Aaron was only three months old and clearly could not fend for himself.

"He wasn't old enough to crawl or walk and he was totally dependent on those who looked after him.

"He had suffered three fractures to the skull where he had been thrown or banged down on something hard or had been hit and shaken.

"There was a fracture to his left shoulder bone. It could have been caused by him being dropped on his shoulder of squeezed with abnormal force or pinned down forcibly.

"There were multiple broken rib, characteristically seen when a child is squeezed with unacceptable force. These could have been caused by squeezing with excessive force, a forceful blow to the side of the chest such as a kick or a stamp or a karate chop or by a heavy object falling onto the baby.

"At the time the ribs were broken Aaron would have screamed in pain. It would have been evident to anyone what harm had been caused to the baby.

"It would have been apparent to anyone later handling Aaron he was more irritable on being touched and handled.

"In addiction to all these fractures there were healing fractures to the tibia, or calf bone, just below the knee on both sides.

"This indicates his legs had been grabbed or twisted with force. "Aaron would have screamed in pain when that was done."

The court heard how some of the rib injures were new whereas others had started to heal.

Mr Worsley told the court how O'Neil claimed the baby's face and hand ended up burned when he fell asleep with him on a chair in front of the fire about a week before the baby died.

But Mr Worsley said; "The baby's face and hand have been forcibly applied to a hot, flat surface. or such surface has been applied to it. "His hand injury may have been caused by Aaron putting it up to try to protect his face.

"The injuries would have been excruciatingly painful and remained so until his death.

"In the opinion of the expert the burns were consistent with contact of between two to 10 seconds with a gas fire that was turned up with a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees celsius.

"The burn appeared to be five or six days old and the pattern of burning indicated at least two, possibly more, separate contacts with the fire.

"The prosecution submit this was no accidental injury as the defendant was to claim."

The court heard how a cigarette type burn on the infant's shoulder appeared to be about two weeks old. And a burn on his neck had the appearance of a scald with water of over 70 degrees Celsius.

Mr Worsley added: "In the opinion of the expert all the burns would have caused intense pain an Aaron would have screamed loudly and for several minutes.

"This was anguish which could have been eased by medical attention and must have continued until his death.

"The cause of Aaron's death was an attack upon him which caused brain damage and haemorrhages sufficient to cause loss of consciousness, swelling of the brain and his heart to stop beating."

The court heard how O'Neil and girlfriend Jody Taylor lived together in a flat at Banbury Road, Newcastle.

O'Neil had branded Taylor a "wimp" because she screamed in childbirth.

Shortly after Aaron was born he was his mother took him to hospital because he wouldn't take his bottle.

Mr Worsley said: "Mr O'Neil said he was too busy watching a film to go with her and would wait at home."

The baby's mother Taylor has admitted child cruelty in that she failed to secure medical attention for her son.

She is expected to give evidence against O'Neil during the trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks.

Mr Worsley told jurors: "It was the defendant who was responsible for the injuries and who kept Jody Taylor, the baby's mother, in such fear she dared not take Aaron to a doctor."

O'Neil denies murder and two charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He has admitted a charge of child cruelty.

The trial continues.