A young couple denied playing a role in the death of their baby boy when they appeared in court today.

Bailey Smyth-Osbourne was less than three weeks old when he died at home in Walters Farm Road, Tonbridge on December 5 last year.

Tragically, despite a large scale emergency response from paramedics, including the air ambulance, the infant could not be revived.

Today his parents Marina Smyth, 20, and Michael Osbourne, who turned 22 on the day of the hearing, were in the dock at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court, accused of causing or allowing the newborn to suffer serious physical harm.

The charge relates to a period between November 16 and December 6 last year.

Smyth, now of Oxford Gardens, Maidstone, and Osbourne, now of Bybrook Road, Kennington, spoke only to confirm their names and addresses when they appeared, in separate hearings, this morning.

While formal pleas were not entered, John Roberts, defending Smyth, and Gurnham Mander, defending Osbourne, indicated both defendants would be pleading not guilty.

They will next appear at Maidstone Crown Court on October 17.