The father of a man accused of murdering his partner's baby broke down in tears as he described how drugs had ruined his son's life.

Alan Goodman, from Bexhill, told a jury at Lewes Crown Court his son Aaron Goodman, who denies murdering one-year-old Sam Back, had begged him for £800 to settle a drug debt while baby Sam lay dead in his flat in Church Road, St Leonards.

Sam's mother, Emma Back, 21, and Goodman were found cowering and crying on a mattress by police in December 2000, when they broke into the couple's flat, the jury had been told.

The court had been told Sam's grandparents became suspicious about claims the one-year-old had been the victim of cot death.

A post-mortem had revealed a violent, possibly fatal blow to Sam's stomach, a bite mark on his leg and traces of cocaine in his blood.

Mr Goodman told the court yesterday he had been told by his son and Back that Sam's body was at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings and they were making funeral arrangements.

Mr Goodman said: "They said it was their responsibility to make the arrangements and they wanted to manage the affair themselves."

The jury heard Mr Goodman had spent more than £3,000 on his 27-year-old's son's drugs debts and had offered to pay the £800 to the drug dealer face to face.

He said: "I wanted to put a face to the person who was ruining my son's life and making him a drug addict. I wanted to tell him there was no more money."

The jury heard Back had stayed with Mr Goodman and his wife Paula while their son was remand in Lewes prison last year.

The court heard evidence from four police officers who found Sam's body.

They described how they found the couple crying and hugging on a mattress in the lounge and had to move a settee lodged against a door to the room where Sam's body had been wrapped in a blanket and left in his travel cot.

Back, of Park Road, Bexhill, denies wilful neglect to a child under 16 and conspiring to prevent a burial.

Goodman, formerly of Church Road, St Leonards, denies murder.

The case continues.