'I wasn't a good enough mum': Accused killer mum admits to lying to police about boyfriend

An alleged child killer has claimed her boyfriend told her to lie to the police about the murder of her son Alfie Steele, who was 9.

Carla Scott stated she did not want to get herself or partner Dirk Howell 'into trouble' by admitting to police he had been at her property in Droitwich, when she found Alfie collapsed in the bath.

Giving evidence at Coventry Crown Court today, Scott, 35, told the jury Howell had told her to lie about him being in the property in the lead-up to Alfie's death.

She and Howell, 41, deny being cruel or murdering Alfie, who died on February 18, 2021.

Scott told the jury that day she ran a 'warm' bath for Alfie and went downstairs to do some cleaning in the kitchen before she was alerted to the fact he had gone 'beneath the water'.

She said: "I went into the bathroom and I seen he was under the water. I just put my hand underneath his head and lifted him by his legs."

Scott stated she took Alfie into her bedroom and put him on a towel on the floor. She told the court Howell, also known as 'Dean' as well as Dirk, told her to call 999 while he gave CPR. She added he left the house while she was still on the phone to the emergency services.

Scott said: "He told me to say he wasn't there." She confirmed she repeated the lie to police when they arrived, claiming Howell had not been at her home for a 'couple of days'.

Scott added: "I didn't want to get into trouble and didn't want him to get into trouble. I didn't want them to jump to conclusions."

She denied striking Alfie, interfering with his breathing as well as encouraging or assisting Howell to do either, answering 'no' to each question.

Scott accepted a few days before Alfie's death she was made aware of an allegation Howell had hit him with a belt.

She told the court when she tried to ask Howell about it he did not answer and walked into another room.

Asked why she did not end the relationship over it Scott replied: "I didn't want to believe he could do something like that, even though I knew he did."

Confirming details about the early part of their relationship she stated Howell had disclosed to her 'from the start' he had previously been in 'trouble with the police'.

She agreed she made a request through the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme under Clare's Law but there was no such information about him.

Scott accepted she and Howell came up with 'rules' about chores and duties which he wrote and she stuck up on walls around the house.

She denied Alfie was ever 'dunked' in cold water baths, made to stand outside in the garden in just his boxer shorts or go into the shed as a punishment.

Scott did acknowledge on one occasion Alfie was left outside screaming by the garden gate because he was 'having a tantrum'.

She also agreed she had lied to the police and social services previously about Howell being at her house, repeating that she did not want either of them to 'get into trouble'.

Scott burst into tears when asked about school and social worker concerns that Alfie had not been fed enough. She said: "My cupboards were full. It got to the stage I was taking pictures of food."

Asked how she felt Scott replied: "Horrible, like I wasn't a good enough mum."

Carla Scott, of Vashon Drive, Droitwich, has denied charges of murder, manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of Alfie and child cruelty offences. 

Dirk Howell, of Princip Street, Birmingham, has admitted child cruelty offences against other children. He denies murder, manslaughter, cruelty and causing or allowing the death of Alfie.