Graham Sate, 25, instead blamed Sharon Creed for the death of her daughter Lauren Creed, and said she had been alone with her for about an hour before her death.

The BBC's Crime correspondent Stephen Cape reports

Lauren died at her home at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk, in October 1997 after suffering a split liver. She had 167 bruises and abrasions on her body.

Mr Sate, who lived with Lauren and her mother, told Norwich Crown Court he had done no more than smack Lauren's bottom occasionally when she was naughty.

Ms Creed, a senior aircraftswoman, has already admitted two offences of cruelty towards Lauren. Mr Sate denies murder and cruelty.

Lauren 'fell down stairs'

Mr Sate told the jury that on the day of Lauren's death the child fell head over heels downstairs at about 0800 while he was in bed and Ms Creed was at work.

He said he had telephoned Ms Creed to explain what had happened and she had returned.

The couple argued because Ms Creed did not want to call an ambulance for fear that the authorities would discover that Lauren had been abused, he said.

Mr Sate said he stormed out of the house and drove around country lanes in Ms Creed's car.

When he returned about an hour later Lauren seemed noticeably worse than when he had left.

"She didn't look well at all. She seemed very pale," said Mr Sate.

He told how at one point Ms Creed had gone to do some washing up and left him alone with Lauren.

"I asked her (Lauren) what was the matter. She said `Mummy's hit me and Mummy don't love me any more'," said Mr Sate.

He said that shortly afterwards, Lauren stopped breathing.

Allegations of violence

Mr Sate said that Ms Creed had been violent with Lauren on several occasions.

He detailed one example in June when Lauren had vanished and been found playing at a neighbour's. Ms Creed had "dragged her" back into the house.

Mr Sate said: "She (Creed) just seemed to lose control and she was hitting on all different parts of the body."

He said the following day Lauren had bruises on her buttocks and legs. Mr Sate said he was "shocked" by the injuries.

Mr Sate accepted that he had spoken of his "unbearable guilt and shame" and of him "losing control" in letters and telephone calls to Ms Creed while in prison after being charged with Lauren's murder.

He explained that behaviour by saying that he wanted to protect Ms Creed and shift the blame onto himself.