Rebecca Lewis' boyfriend has admitted murdering Aaron

Rebecca Lewis, 21, from Swansea, denies familial homicide by letting Andrew Lloyd kill 13-month-old Aaron Gilbert.

Under cross-examination at Swansea Crown Court, she said thought Lloyd might hurt Aaron, but "not seriously".

Lloyd, 23, has now admitted murdering the baby, who had 50 injuries on his body. He died of brain damage.

Ms Lewis broke down in the dock as she admitted she knew her baby was terrified of Lloyd and that she knew Lloyd was physically mistreating him.

She said Lloyd had threatened to kill her if she left him. She wept as she said: "I didn't think he would kill a child."

Paul Lewis QC, prosecuting, asked her if she had made a conscious decision to stay with Lloyd. Miss Lewis said: "Yes."

When asked if she had made a deliberate decision to put her own welfare above her baby's, she again said: "Yes."

Aaron Gilbert died of brain damage with 50 injuries on his body

When the prosecution put it to her that she had put up with Lloyd's mistreatment of Aaron because he did nothing to hurt her, Miss Lewis said: "Yes."

The court heard that during a police interview after Aaron's death, she had said Lloyd had never raised a hand to her because he knew she would slap him back.

The prosecution suggested that Ms Lewis was not afraid of Lloyd, and that she was using this an excuse. Ms Lewis replied. "No."

The court has already heard that three weeks into their relationship, she became aware that Lloyd, who she said had initially been "brilliant" with Aaron, had given her cause for concern.

'Trusted him'

The prosecution said Miss Lewis had seen Lloyd flick Aaron, pick him up by his ears and swing him by his ankles. She was asked what it would have taken for her to save Aaron from Lloyd's attentions.

Ms Lewis replied that she said she did not know.

She was then asked how much was she prepared to tolerate. Again, she replied that she did not know.

Andrew Lloyd changed his plea after hearing medical evidence

Ms Lewis was asked why she had left her baby with a man she knew could be violent. She replied it was because "I loved and trusted him."

She said she thought the bruises on Aaron after he had been left with Lloyd were accidental.

The court has already heard that on the day before Aaron died in May last year, Ms Lewis had left him with Lloyd for around 15 minutes while she went to the shops.

When she returned Aaron was grey and not breathing and Lloyd was giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Aaron was taken to Singleton Hospital, Swansea, and then transferred to the University of Wales hospital, Cardiff, where he died of brain damage.

Lloyd, of Townhill, Swansea, had initially denied murder but changed his plea to guilty after hearing medical evidence about Aaron's injuries.