A woman accused of murdering her own son says she lied about her drug use because she feared social services would take the toddler away.

Sian Hedges, 27, and her then partner Jack Benham, 35, are accused of subjecting 18-month-old Alfie Phillips to a sustained and fatal assault in a caravan they shared in Hernhill in November 2020.

They both deny murdering the youngster, who had 70 visible injuries and broken bones at the time of his death.

Taking the stand for the first time during the trial at Maidstone Crown Court, Hedges told how she met former soldier Benham while still in a relationship with Alfie’s dad, Sam Phillips.

She also spoke about her drug use before she had Alfie and then after the youngster was born.

The former barmaid said her family grew up in Chartham before moving to Whitstable when she was 11 years old, and that she developed anxiety as a child.

She said: "I first met Alfie's father, Sam Philips when I was 18 and in 2017 again when he was living in a caravan park in Seasalter.

"I fell from him pretty quickly and our relationship was pretty amazing. But then it became volatile. There was a lot of arguing and shouting. It wasn't all one-sided, "she said.

They were later ordered to leave the caravan park where they were living because of the rows.

The arguing continued into 2018 but she didn't leave "because I loved him, I really loved him and I thought maybe one day things would get better."

Hedges said she was introduced to cocaine when she was 18.

"It made my anxiety go away and put me at ease around people. I would use cocaine about once a week. Sam also took cocaine and smoked a lot of weed,” she said.

"We were living at Benacre caravan park and our relationship was volatile and I once called the police because I was scared and hung up."

In September 2018 she became pregnant with Alfie and considered having an abortion, unsure of how she would cope.

She added that during lockdown her anxiety increased and she would sniff cocaine once or twice a week “when Alfie was asleep in bed."

"I always made sure Alfie was OK but looking back I realise it was wrong. You don't use drugs around your child,” Hedges told the jury.

Hedges said her relationship with Mr Philips became worse and "once or twice a week" she would visit a friend who supplied her with drugs.

The 27-year-old said she didn’t “tell the health visitor I was taking drugs. I didn't want social services involved. I didn't want to lose Alfie".

While on the stand, Hedges began weeping as she recalled taking the baby to the beach in 2020, adding: "Alfie absolutely loved the beach."

Hedges said her relationship with Alfie’s dad became worse and "once or twice a week" she would visit a friend who supplied her with drugs.

She then met Benham and the pair started a relationship, but she would return to Mr Phillips, adding, "It was like he held me under a spell."

"I spent half my time with Sam and half my time with Jack. I was having an affair and I'm not proud of the lying. I am absolutely ashamed, " she added.

Previously, Hedges cried in the dock as the prosecution outlined the case against her and Benham during the trial’s opening.

The jury was told was living with her son and new boyfriend in a caravan in the back garden of Benham’s parents’ home in Hernhill.

On the evening of Friday, November 27, 2020, she and Benham were in his parents’ house with Alfie, where the toddler was said to have been looking well and without visible injuries by several of Benham’s relatives.

The youngster was taken back to the caravan at 7pm and was not seen again by anyone other than Benham and Hedges until about 11.30am the following morning.

It was during these hours it is alleged Alfie was murdered.

The court was told that shortly before 11.30am on the Saturday, Benham came to the main house with Alfie in his arms. The toddler was described as “blue and floppy” and was not breathing.

Benham’s mother, Joan Benham, started performing CPR in the living room and his father, Mark Benham, called 999.

Paramedics arrived within 10 minutes but it was immediately apparent to them Alfie had been “dead for some time”, said prosecutor Jennifer Knight.

Mrs Benham noticed a number of bruises to Alfie’s face she said had not been there the night before.

Benham came into the living room and told paramedics Alfie had been grumpy the night before so they took him into bed with them - and when they woke Alfie was trapped under Benham’s legs and they could not wake him.

Alfie was taken to the QEQM and pronounced dead at 12.35pm.

A skeletal survey and post-mortem examinations revealed he had multiple fractures to both of his arms, his ribs and one leg, as well as widespread bruising, marks and scrapes across his body.

Tests indicated many of the breaks to his bones would have occurred in the hours before Alfie’s death.

Earlier this week, Benham told the jury Hedges must have killed Alfie, as he denied responsibility for the toddler’s death.

Benham, of Highstreet Road, Hernhill, and Hedges, of Fillace Park, Yelverton, Devon, deny murder and an alternative charge of causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.