Finley Boden: Police describe “animal faeces” and “rubbish" at baby’s Chesterfield home

The “unhygienic and dangerous” conditions were found just hours after Finely Boden died on Christmas Day, 2020.

That morning, police escorted Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden back into their Old Whittington address - which was now a crime scene - to gather their belongings.

Ten-month-old Finley had been pronounced dead in hospital in the early hours of the same day, having contracted Sepsis – 39 days after he was returned to his parents from care.

The toddler suffered 130 separate injuries including 57 fractures – breaks to his collar bone, shoulder, shin, thigh bones, pelvis and ribs and two burns in the days leading to his death.

Boden, 29, and Marsden, 21, both deny murder, cruelty to a person under 16 and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Today a trial jury at Derby Crown Court heard statements from officers on duty who saw the dreadful state of the property where Finley spent the last few weeks of his life.

One said: “I was unable to get up and down the stairs safely due to the clutter - there was a strong smell of cannabis and animal faeces in the property.

“The kitchen sides were covered in pots, food and containers - leaving no clean surfaces to prepare food and bottles.

“The living room was cluttered with clothing and rubbish such as empty energy drink cans.

“There was a litter tray at the top of the stairs which didn’t appear to have been cleaned out for several days and smelled very unpleasant.

“There was also a pile of what I can only assume was dog faeces on the floor.”

She added neither defendant showed any “distress” about the conditions or seeing Finley’s belongings or the medical equipment left behind by paramedics.

The officer said Marsden left a “memory box” of items belonging to baby Finley on a pushchair - saying that way the dog could not “get to it”.

Another officer on duty at the address told how as the defendants gathered their belongings Boden “disappeared upstairs”.

Activating a body-worn camera, the constable found him at the top of the stairs “glancing up” at the loft hatch while a pair of foldable ladders were placed nearby which appeared “out of place”.

While driving the couple to a family address where they would spend Christmas Day the officers noted a “strange” conversation from the rear of the vehicle.

The officer stated: “Boden was mentioning things like going and getting some prosecco and that it’s been a long time since he was in the back of a police car.

“Shannon appeared more upset and was quiet at the start of the journey - there was an overwhelming smell of cannabis.

“The conversation seemed very strange and I kept looking at (my colleague), who appeared to be thinking the same.

“Boden didn’t seem upset or emotionally-distressed about the loss of the baby at all.”

The other officer present in the car said Boden talked about what they would be eating, while “champagne, prosecco and beers” were discussed.

He was said to have told the officers: “I’ve not been in the back of a police car for about three years now, as I’ve been a good lad.”

Another police witness, DI Laura Kershaw, described “clutter” in all parts of the home - with rubbish and clothes on the stairs.

There was “excrement” near the back door while the smell was “accentuated” in one of the “warm” bedrooms.

The trial continues.