Dad accused of murdering baby son Finley Boden tells court he 'enjoyed being a father'

A father accused of murdering his 10 month old baby boy has told a court he enjoyed being a father and would regularly feed his son and change his nappy.

Finley Boden died on Christmas Day in 2020 at the family home in Chesterfield.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had more than 130 injuries to his body.

His parents Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden both deny charges of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Taking to the witness stand yesterday, Stephen Boden told the jury at Derby Crown Court that he was a loving and caring father to his son Finley and enjoyed looking after him.

Responding to questions from his barrister, Boden told the court that he would often be the one to feed, cloth and bathe Finley, getting up in the night if Finley started crying.

When asked if he ever had to discipline Finley, Boden replied "never".

Ten-month-old Finley Boden died on Christmas Day in 2020 at the family home in Chesterfield.

He had only returned to the property 39 days earlier after being taken into care when he was born.

A post-mortem examination revealed that when he died Finley had more than 130 injuries to his body, including 57 fractures and two burns to his left hand.

He later developed pneumonia and sepsis. His cause of death was given as multiple episodes of non-accidental blunt trauma.

The prosecution claim that these were the result of significant, substantial and repeated acts of severe violence inflicted on him by his parents Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden and that the pair then worked together to hide his injuries from social services.

Under further questioning Boden admitted that he and Shannon Marsden often had to borrow money from other family members to pay for household bills.

Boden also admitted that in the weeks leading up to Finley's death, he would often go out to buy drugs on a daily basis.

When asked where Finley was at the time Boden replied, "I'd often take him with me."

Boden was also shown some photos of Finley which proved to show him with bruises including one on his shoulder.

When asked if he'd noticed those bruises, Boden replied "no, I didn't notice or see and bruises, I just thought it was some type of mark on his shoulder".

Boden also told the court that in the days leading up to his son's death Finley was coughing wheezing and hacking and he thought Finley actually had Covid.

When asked if he and Shannon Marsden had discussed it together taking Finley to a hospital or a doctor to get treatment urgently Boden replied "I think we did".

Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden both deny two counts of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.