Pelka mother gives evidence

A prosecution barrister has told a mother accused of murdering her four-year-old boy that the 'only thing wrong' with the child was the 'accident of birth' of having her as a mother.

Magdelena Luczak is on trial for the murder of Daniel Pelka in March last year, and for causing or allowing his death.

Both she and her co-defendant, Mariusz Krezolek, deny the charges.

Callum Watkinson reports.

A woman accused of murdering her four-year-old son has admitted lying to school staff and social services about his health.

Magdelena Luczak and her partner Mariusz Krezolek deny murdering Daniel Pelka.

Both also deny causing or allowing Daniel's death.

Callum Watkinson has been following the trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

A woman accused of murdering her four-year-old son has admitted lying to school staff and social services about his health.

Magdalena Luczak and her partner Mariusz Krezolek deny murdering Daniel Pelka.

Both also deny causing or allowing Daniel's death.

A mother accused of murdering her four-year-old son has told a jury at Birmingham Crown Court that she didn't stop her co-defendant harming the child because she loved him.

Magdalena Luczak was giving evidence for a second day at the pair's trial. She and Mariusz Krezolek deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. Callum Watkinson reports.

As she gave evidence for a second day during her trial, v Daniel Pelka's mother Magdelena Luczak was asked by the barrister for her boyfriend Mariusz Krezolek, why she had not taken the four-year-old boy to a doctor when he lost weight.

Luczak, who came to the UK from Poland in 2006, said: "Because Daniel would always have a lot of bruises.

"I tried to make it secret, what was happening to him - that is why I didn't go to the doctor's."

Read: Starved boy mum 'lost temper'

Magdalena Luczak spent the morning in court being crossed examined by Nigel Lambert QC, the defence for her former partner Mariusz Krezolek. She denies beating and starving her son Daniel Pelka.

She admits knowing about the abuse of Daniel but denies being responsible and blames Krezolek for his death.

Magdelena Luczak, the mother Daniel Pelka has said that she "did not lose her temper" with the four-year-old when she found out he was stealing sandwiches from school.

When asked if she was 'stern' with Daniel Ms Luczak agreed, however she denied showing no emotion towards her son.

She said: "It's not that I wasn't having affection, I was upset he was taking sandwiches."

Nigel Lambert QC said: "You never hugged him - and that was you in public."To which she replied: "I always kissed him goodbye."

Mr Lambert continued: "Lisa Godfrey (one of Daniel's teachers) stopped telling you about you about the food, because you were very short tempered with Daniel. Another teacher Nicola Griffiths told us you did not seem to have a nice motherly approach to Daniel."

Ms Luczak replied: "Yes they stopped telling me, but I didn't lose my temper with him...Of course I showed concern...but I was always in a rush."

Daniel Pelka's mother has said that her love for her partner Mariusz Krezolek meant she allowed him to abuse the four-year-old.

Nigel Lambert QC acting for Mr Krezolek asked her: "What were you doing day after day after day? Allowing Mariusz to act in the way you say he was?"

Magdalena Luczak replied: "I simply loved him so much that I allowed the treatment."

"Over and above your own children?"

"Yes."

"That's nonsense isn't it - that's complete nonsense. You are a woman who knows her own mind and knows what she wants out of life and you would not stand for that sort of behavior if it were being meted out by a partner without your say-so and approval."

She replies: "No I don't agree."

Magdelena Luczak has been asked in court about her drinking habits and how that impacted on her temper with her four-year-old son Daniel.During her cross-examination she was asked: "If you were drunk you would lose your temper with him (Daniel)."

She replied: "I wasn't drunk enough to lose control with the children."

Nigel Lambert QC put to her: "If you were sober you'd take a little a longer to lose your temper - but you did lose it."

"No" she replied.

Mr Lambert continued: "You couldn't cope with his growing eating habits could you.

She said: "He simply liked eating more and Mariusz (Krezolek) prohibited him from eating more."

Krezolek and Luczak, have both admitted a charge of child cruelty but deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.

Magdalena Luczak told the jury that she wasn't starving or beating Daniel, but that she knew it was happening.

Asked by Nigel Lambert QC why she hadn't taken the boy to the doctor, she replied, "I tried to make it secret what was happening at home."

"Why on earth would you do that?" the barrister said. "I don't know it myself, I don't understand my behaviour."

"It's because it was you, wasn't it?"

"No it wasn't me," she said. "It was Mariusz, but I knew what was happening."