A Mayo man on trial for murdering his baby son told gardai he never hurt his child or put tissues in his mouth.

40 year old John Tighe of Lavallyroe in Ballyhaunis denies murdering his six month old baby five years ago.

Six month old Joshua Sussbier Tighe died on the 1st June 2013 and his dad John Tighe was arrested two years later for endangerment.

He acknowledged to gardai that there was a bit of and age gap between himself and the baby’s mother - he was 38 and she was 21.

He said they had been together for four and a half years bar one break when he kicked her out and said if he hadn’t - Joshua would still be alive.

The court heard the couple had split at the time John Tighe had baby Joshua at his home alone on the day in question.

He told gardai he rang the emergency services when he noticed his son had gone blue and believed he had swallowed a wipe after he had left him alone to go to the bathroom.

He denied that he had put two tissues in his son’s mouth.

When asked what caused Joshua’s death that day - he said ‘me being a f***g eejit and leaving him’…

He said he loved his boy and would never hurt him.