Pic: Family Handout of Alfie

A toddler from Croydon was crushed to death with a car seat as his mother, Adrian Hoare, did nothing, an Old Bailey jury has been told.

The court heard that the mother’s boyfriend, 25-year-old Stephen Waterson, was fed up with Alfie Lamb,3, claiming he was making too much noise. Waterson resorted to pushing back the front passenger seat over Alfie, described as a ‘smiley boy’ in an attempt to punish him. Hoare, who lives with Waterson in Adams Way, Croydon, was sitting in the rear seat at the time.

Both Waterson and Hoare, 25 have been charged with manslaughter. The pair allegedly lied to police by claiming the boy had collapsed whilst they were travelling in a taxi last February.

Duncan Atkinson QC, prosecuting, said death was caused by crush asphyxia. “It was caused by the front passenger seat of the Audi vehicle, Waterson’s seat, being moved back further into the rear passenger side footwell at a time when, as was known, Alfie was in that footwell,” he said.

The car was being driven by Marcus Lamb. The court heard that he and ex-girlfriend Emilie Williams had told police they had since been attacked and harassed by Hoare and Waterson. They are both due to give evidence against the couple in court.

Alfie’s mother denies manslaughter, child cruelty and common assault on Miss Williams. Waterson denies manslaughter and the intimidation of Mr Lamb. The defendants and Miss Williams have admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice by making false statements.

The trial continues.