A man accused of murdering his partner’s two-year-old daughter has denied delaying the discovery of the toddler’s body to make it harder for doctors to find out how she died.

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court Scott Jeff accepted that he and his partner Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell hadn't officially notified anyone of Isabella Wheildon’s death on June 26 last year.

The couple had fled to Bury St Edmunds four days later leaving her body in her pushchair in temporary accommodation where they were staying in Ipswich.

He and Gleason-Mitchell were arrested in Bury St Edmunds in the early hours of July 1 and Jeff said they had decided by then to hand themselves in to the police the following day.

He denied a suggestion from Sasha Wass KC for Gleason-Mitchell that he had kept Isabella’s body for four days hoping there would be less chance of doctors discovering how she’d died.

“No that’s not true at all,” said Jeff, who was giving evidence on his fourth day in the witness box.

He said he had actually been hoping that when doctors found out how Isabella died they would know he hadn’t anything to do with it.

During his evidence Jeff claimed that Isabella’s fatal injuries had been caused on June 26 by Gleason-Mitchell while he was out of their temporary accommodation in Sidegate Lane, Ipswich for 15 minutes.

He said when he got back he found Gleason-Mitchell wiping up blood off Isabella's leg and claimed she’d fallen from the toilet.

Jeff said he didn’t think the injury was life threatening and Isabella, who was later found to have a shattered pelvis and fractures to her wrists, had been put on the bed and given some cereal.

He accepted he had later been left alone with Isabella for 15 minutes while Gleason-Mitchell went to buy some milk.

Jeff and Gleason-Mitchell, both 24 and of no fixed address, have denied murdering Isabella between June 26-30 last year.

In addition to denying murder, Jeff has also denied causing or allowing the death of a child between June 26-30 last year and two offences of cruelty to a child.

Gleason-Mitchell has pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child and two offences of cruelty to a child under 16.

The trial continues.