A MAN has appeared in court charged with the murder of his 14-month old son.

Nathan Allen, of Erith Crescent, Collier Row, appeared from custody in a short hearing at Havering Magistrates’ Court, in Main Road, Romford, this morning, Monday (January 10).

The 26-year-old, who had scars to his face and head and wore a white t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

Prosecuting Elizabeth Ajayi said: “We can’t deal with this here today. It will have to be sent to the Central Criminal Court.”

Allen who cried throughout the hearing and held his head in his hands as he left the dock will appear at the Old Bailey, in London, tomorrow, (Wednesday January 12).

No plea has been entered. The court heard it was not expected an application would be made for Allen to be released on bail.

The baby was pronounced dead at an East London Hospital on Thursday (January 6). A postmortem examination carried out on Saturday (January 8) at Great Ormond Street Hospital gave the cause of death as blunt trauma injury to the abdomen.

Detectives from the Child Abuse Investigation Team are investigating.