Mother weeps at baby murder trial

Kyle Mutch was nine-months-old when he died

The wife of a man accused of murdering her baby son has broken down in tears as she tried to give evidence.

Karen Mutch sobbed as she took the stand in the trial of husband Mohammad Ullah - who is accused of murdering his eight-month-old stepson Kyle.

Mr Ullah, 25, denies murdering his wife's son in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, in January.

He is also accused of trying to bribe his wife with £5000 to lie in court in connection with the murder charge.

Mrs Mutch, 32, took the witness stand at the High Court in Forfar on the second day of the trial.

Before starting, judge Lord Carloway told Mrs Mutch: "Because you are the wife of the accused you cannot be compelled to give evidence against him.

"You are entitled to decline to give evidence because it's against your husband."

She waived that legal right to decline and said she was willing to continue.

THE CHARGES Mohammad Ullah denies striking Kyle Mutch on the body and murdering him on 30 or 31 January He denies assaulting a four-year-old boy on 29 January He denies attempting to pervert the course of justice He has lodged two special defences The first is that if there was a murder, it was committed by Marlane Low The second is one of alibi, claiming he was at the Cafe Shomi in Turriff between 1630 BST and 2230 BST on 30 January

She told advocate depute Mark Stewart, prosecuting, that she married Mr Ullah in November last year, but wanted to be known as Karen Mutch.

She identified her husband sitting in the dock.

The advocate depute asked: "You have a number of children?"

Mrs Mutch, struggling with a speech impediment, sobbed and took out a tissue after replying: "It's two - but I had three."

The case was then adjourned for lunch as she was too upset to continue.

Mr Ullah, 25, denied assaulting and murdering Kyle Mutch in Turriff on the first day of the trial.

He has also denied assaulting a four-year-old boy and trying to pervert the course of justice by phoning his wife while he was on bail.

He is alleged to have offered her £5000 to testify falsely that she had seen another woman assaulting Kyle.

Mr Ullah, described as a prisoner in Aberdeen, has lodged two special defences, one of incrimination, the other of alibi.