Father, 33, accused of murdering his eight-week-old daughter claims the baby's mother shook her to death while he was in the shed smoking cannabis and watching porn

A father on trial for allegedly murdering his eight-week-old daughter has claimed the baby's mother shook her to death while he was in the shed smoking cannabis and watching porn.

Michael Roe, 33, was accused by a lawyer of witholding information so he could 'tailor his account' when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court today. 

Roe, whose baby Holly died on September 10, 2018, has tried to pin the blame on his former partner Tiffany Tate.

He told the jury: 'So, listening to the evidence, it was the last person who held Holly who injured Holly.'

Michael Roe , 33, was accused by a lawyer of witholding information so he could 'tailor his account' when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court today

Danny Robinson QC for Tate, asked him: 'You are trying to say it was Tiffany Tate?'

'That's what I'm trying to say,' Roe said. 

Roe said he usually smoked three joints of cannabis a night and was too embarrassed to tell police he was in his shed because it contained 'old sex toys'.

'I was embarrassed about what's in the shed. There are some old sex toys in the shed as well,' Roe said.

Mr Robinson asked why he would leave out details when he was being accused of killing his baby.

Roe said: 'Yes, it was embarrassing for me.' 

Earlier, Roe said he noticed the baby's hands had moved from the position he left her in.

Last month Roe said he landed hard on Holly around an hour before calling paramedics.

He only told police six months after her death as he was scared of what people would say, a jury heard. 

Roe, whose baby Holly died on September 10, 2018, has tried to pin the blame on his former partner Tiffany Tate

Roe said he had been too embarrassed to admit he was in his shed masturbating when his baby was killed.

Asked by Mr Robinson why he had never told police or said in public until yesterday he noticed the hands had moved, Roe said: 'I didn't know then.'  

Tate, 22, and Roe are both charged with murder. They are both also charged with allowing the other to kill their baby.

Holly was born two months premature and the couple brought her home in August 2018. She was eight-weeks-old when she died from brain injures caused by violent shaking.

Post mortem examinations found 12 rib fractures and evidence of at least three separate brain injuries.

Roe said he dialled 999 after finding his baby cold and unresponsive at the family home in Crowborough, East Sussex.

Earlier, the court heard he was concerned former partner Tate could have harmed their baby. During police interviews following Holly's death, Roe said he told a health visitor about his concerns two days before.

'I've got a duty as a parent to protect my child,' he said.

'If she's had a baby in her arms and thought about killing her.'  

Today, Mr Robinson said: 'Your evidence has been there was a time in the lead up to her death that you weren't with Holly and that it was only Tiffany Tate who was with her then and, obviously because it wasn't you, Tiffany Tate might have caused those brain injuries.'

Danny Robinson QC told Roe he had taken every chance to shift the blame for Holly's death onto his former partner Tiffany Tate (pictured with Holly)

Roe said: 'She must have.'

Danny Robinson QC told Roe he had taken every chance to shift the blame for Holly's death onto his former partner.

'It suited your purposes to make her look as bad as possible as soon as possible,' he said.

Roe said: 'No. I was raising my concerns.'

Mr Robinson asked him why he only admitted trying to feed his baby with a syringe up her nose after mum Tiffany Tate told police about it.

He asked Roe why he had not mentioned giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to Holly when police were desperate for any information which could help explain how she died.

Holly was born two months premature and the couple brought her home in August 2018. She was eight-weeks-old when she died from brain injures caused by violent shaking

Roe was also asked to explain why he did not tell police he had taken tramadol on the night his baby was killed.

'I've no idea,' he said. 'Pass. I've just not mentioned it,' Roe said.

Mr Robinson told him: 'You wanted to see what the evidence was so you could tailor your account round it, didn't you?'

Roe said: 'No.'

Michael Roe and Tiffany Tate both deny murder and allowing the other to kill their baby.

The trial at Lewes Crown Court in Hove continues.