Yaseen Ali Ege murder trial: Father Yousuf Ege denies beatings

The husband of a woman accused of murdering their young son has denied regularly beating them both.

Cardiff Crown Court heard medical evidence detailing injuries Yousuf Ege, 38, allegedly caused to his wife Sara.

But Mr Ege said they had been inflicted unwittingly when she "lunged at him during an argument".

Mrs Ege, 32, denies murdering her seven-year-old son Yaseen. Mr Ege denies causing his death by failing to protect him. The case continues.

Mrs Ege is accused of beating her son "like a dog" with a stick.

The court has heard that the beatings were so brutal that he died from his injuries and his corpse was burned to destroy the evidence.

The court heard that Mrs Ege had ended up at the accident and emergency unit of her local hospital at least half a dozen times.

In another incident in 2007, Mr Ege called an ambulance to his home after he had allegedly assaulted his wife, the jury was told.

Paramedics left the scene when he became too aggressive towards them and called in the police who attended the couple's home, the court heard.

Mr Ege dismissed claims he had "punched her in the mouth", describing what she suffered as a "nick" on the lip from his arm and a punch to the chest, both caused unwittingly when she "lunged at him during an argument".

The death of the couple's son at home in Cardiff was treated as a tragic accident when it happened in July 2010.

Both were arrested when a post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered broken ribs, a fractured arm and finger and serious abdominal injuries.

Sara Ege claims her husband is the real killer, and has said his brother Nasser then burned the body, with help from his mother.

The couple set up home in Cardiff after an arranged marriage was put together by both their families in just five days.

The case continues.