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A toyboy lover beat his girlfriend’s disabled toddler to death while she was on a school run, a jury heard yesterday.

Cameron Rose is alleged to have battered epileptic Rhys Lawrie, three, on two earlier occasions before the fatal attack in January of last year.

And prosecutors at the Old Bailey said that Rhys’ mum Sadie Henry, 28, repeatedly lied about the assaults to hide her affair with schoolboy Rose, 10 years her junior.

It is claimed Rose, who was 16 at the time, swung helpless Rhys by his leg into a hard object causing massive head injuries.

Ms Henry, a former army medic, returned to her home in Erith, Kent, to find her son’s lifeless body in his blood-spattered bedroom.

He was covered in bruises and his right leg was broken.

His face was so swollen paramedics could not open his eye to shine a light into the pupil.

Previously, staff at the his school noticed Rhys had bruising around his face in December, 2010.

They left a message with Ms Henry but took no action after she failed to respond.

A month later Rhys was rushed to hospital with more bruising and an apparent fractured jaw – but was discharged after X-rays showed no broken bones.

Rhys was found dead days later on January 21.

Former army medic Ms Henry informed police that Rose told her he was playing a game with Rhys who ­accidentally fell off the table.

Sally Howes, QC, said: “Sadie Henry lied repeatedly to paramedics, hospital staff and ultimately to the police in an effort to hide the truth of her relationship with Cameron Rose.”

Rose, now 18, of Eltham, South East London, denies murder and two charges of causing actual bodily harm.

He claims the injuries were caused as a result of Rhys’ epileptic seizures.

The trial continues.