A MAN accused of inflicting horrendous injuries on a 17-month-old boy has denied hurting the child because he disturbed him watching teen soap Hollyoaks.

The 20-year-old, of Brinscall, took to the stand at Preston Crown Court to deny knowing how the youngster sustained broken bones in both arms, a fractured clavicle, swelling and bruising to his head, nose and ear as well as bruising to his genitals.

Richard Haworth, prosecuting said the boy received the injuries around August 30 last year, while in the defendant’s care.

Mr Haworth asked the defendant if he had ‘got mad’ at the child after he started crying as he watched Hollyoaks.

The defendant denied the claim and said he had dropped the child after going upstairs to attend to him after he started crying.

As he picked up the baby from the floor, the defendant told the court, he could tell the tot had hurt his arm because he wasn't moving it.

Asked by the prosecution why he didn’t immediately call for an ambulance, the defendant said he didn’t know what to do and thought it was better to wait for the child’s mother.

When the mother returned for the child, she realised its arms were injured and took him to Chorley Hospital.

The tot was then taken to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital before being seen by an orthopaedic doctor at Royal Preston Hospital.

The defendant told the court he had not intentionally hurt the little boy and did not know how the other injuries occurred.

He told the court he was not the child’s principal carer and simply helped out with him occasionally.

The defendant, is charged with cruelty to a person under 16 and two alternative counts of causing grievious bodily harm with intent, or inflicting grievious godily harm.

(Proceeding)