Woman 'never angry' with grandson

Kyle Mutch was eight-months-old when he died

A man accused of murdering his eight-month-old stepson has admitted the woman he blames for the boy's death was never angry with the child.

Mohammad Ullah, 25, denies murdering Kyle Mutch in Turriff in January. He said if there was a murder, Kyle's grandmother Marlane Low was to blame.

But the jury at the High Court in Forfar heard that only her smoking habit gave him cause for concern.

The court was shown a police interview in which Mr Ullah made the admission.

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 £5,000 to testify falsely that she had seen another woman assaulting Kyle.

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

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

Mrs Low has previously told the trial she was not to blame for Kyle's death.

On Wednesday, jurors viewed a police interview with Mr Ullah.

In it, he told Grampian Police Detective Sergeant Derek Hiley that his only concern about Mrs Low looking after children was that she smoked in their company.

Det Sgt Hiley asked Mr Ullah: "Is she a good granny?"

Mr Ullah said she was "okay" apart from the smoking and admitted she was happy around children.

The accused was asked whether he had ever seen Mrs Low angry with Kyle.

He replied: "No."

'Baby not well'

Mr Ullah told police he picked Kyle up from Mrs Low's house at about 2230 GMT on 30 January and settled down to watch television.

But he said Kyle had been crying and when he tried to feed him, he was sick.

Mr Ullah told police Kyle was very quiet and he was confused and worried about his condition.

He said he went to his neighbours for help and said: "Please help me, baby not well."

Mr Ullah said he did not remember that he could have called 999 and stressed he had not hurt the baby.

The court also heard that Mr Ullah told detectives he had offered his wife £5,000 as a joke.

Det Sgt Hiley said: "He explained it was a joke, that he had won the lottery and specifically that he had won £5,000."

During the day the court also heard how Mr Ullah had suggested that Kyle had perhaps died from a heart attack or from another child jumping on him.

The trial before Lord Carloway continues.