A court has heard that the mother of a baby boy who was found dead in Co Mayo said to his father, ‘what have you done?’

The baby’s dad, John Tighe of Lavallyroe in Ballyhaunis, denies murdering six-month-old Joshua in June 2013.

It is the Prosecution’s case that 40-year-old Mr Tighe murdered his baby son by placing a wad of tissue in his throat.

He has pleaded not guilty and maintains what happened was an accident.

Garda Alan Ryan described arriving at his home on the day in question after hearing about the sudden death of a baby.

He said he saw Mr Tighe kneeling down at the feet of his baby and he was crying uncontrollably.

He said Mr Tighe told him he had been changing the baby’s nappy, had gone to the toilet and left the baby on the changing unit.

He said he was gone no more than 3 or 4 minutes and when he returned he found the baby was quiet and was finding it difficult to breathe.

He believed his son may have swallowed a baby wipe.

The court heard the baby’s mother arrived a short while later and she said to John Tighe ‘what have you done?’ and also said ‘there is blood’ when she saw it.

The garda said John Tighe relayed the same story to the mother.