August 3, 2021 1.03 pm This story is over 31 months old

Father accused of murdering baby says he did not harm child

He gave evidence at his trial
Police at the scene of the incident in 2019. | Photo: John Aron

A father accused of murdering his 11-week-old baby boy told a jury on Tuesday that he did not harm the child.

Haroldas Bugaila, giving evidence as his trial at Lincoln Crown Court entered its fifth week, told the jury that he did not know who caused the fatal injuries to his baby Martynas.

Bugaila described himself as “the happiest” when he learned that his partner Aliona was pregnant. “I loved Martynas. I had wanted children from way before.”

Bugaila told the jury he has never seen his own father and said “I wanted to be a good dad”.

The jury has heard that Martynas collapsed at the family home in Boston on March 27, 2019. The baby’s mother took Martynas by taxi to the Pilgrim Hospital and he was later transferred to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

He was subsequently diagnosed as having suffered a catastrophic brain injury which was unsurvivable. The decision was made to withdraw his life support and he passed away on April 2, 2019.

The prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC earlier told the jury: “The prosecution say that the fatal injury sustained by Martynas was deliberately inflicted by his natural father Haroldas Bugaila. The likely mechanism in this case is shaking with or without an impact against a yielding surface.”

Mr Hankin said that the baby was later found also to have older injuries which he described as deliberately inflicted.

He said there was “significant tension” in the parents’ relationship and that during previous arguments the defendant made threats to make the boy cry.

On Tuesday, Bugaila was asked by his barrister Allison Summers QC “Did you harm Martynas in any way on the afternoon of March 27?” He replied “No, I did not.”

Bugaila also denied harming Martynas in the days leading up to March 27, 2019. He said he had never seen anyone harm the baby.

Granville Street, Boston. | Photo: John Aron

Miss Summers asked him: “If the medical evidence is right and these injuries have been inflicted on this child by an adult, do you know who did this?” He replied “No”.

Bugaila was asked if his partner may have caused the injuries. He responded “I cannot imagine that.”

Haroldas Bugaila, 29, a factory worker, of Granville Street, Boston, denies the murder of Martynas Bugaila on April 2, 2019 and denies causing the baby grievous bodily harm to him between February 5 and March 15, 2019.

He also denies further charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and inflicting grievous bodily harm to another person.

The trial continues.