The jury has been sent out to come to a verdict in the trial of a County Durham mum accused of murdering her own son.

Christina Robinson, 30, has been standing trial at Newcastle Crown Court for the past three weeks accused of murdering her three-year-old son Dwelaniyah at their home on Bracken Court in Ushaw Moor in November 2022.

She denies murder and four child neglect charges.

The jury in the case has tonight been sent out by High Court Judge Mr Justice Garnham to start their deliberations.

They spent just 30 minutes deliberating before being sent home for the night. They will return to continue their discussions tomorrow.

Earlier on Tuesday (March 19) Robinson summed up her own case after she sacked her legal team last week, before the judge summarised the the facts.

Over the course of the trial, the court has heard how she allegedly beat and burned the boy, failed to get him professional treatment for his burns and left him home alone with his younger brother.

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She denies the charges and this morning pleaded to jurors: "Do not find me guilty for something I have not done.

“I did not murder my child. I did not kill my child. I did not forcibly immerse him or submerge him in hot water.

The trial was listed to last four weeks, but the jury has been told they are under no time pressure to come to a verdict.