Daniel Pelka ‘starved and beaten by stepfather’

The child witness, who cannot be named, told Birmingham crown court that Daniel Pelka was not allowed to come downstairs to eat.

Daniel, from Coventry, is alleged to have suffered a fatal head injury during an “incomprehensible” campaign of cruelty at the hands of his mother, Magdelena Luczak, and stepfather, Mariusz Krezolek.

During several videotaped interviews with police, the sibling also claimed that Daniel hit his head on a bath after being pushed over.

Responding to questions from a female police officer, the witness said: “When Mariusz was too much drinking, my brother had a cold bath and I asked Mariusz to stop it.

“I got my brother from the bath and I pulled the plug out and I hugged him.”

Asked by the police officer to give further details of the incident, the witness replied: “I was downstairs, I heard him screaming.

“I came upstairs and smashed Mariusz to stop it, and he stopped it. I got my brother from the bath and put a towel on him and hugged him.”

Bruises

The witness also alleged that they had seen bruises on Daniel’s legs after an incident during which he was heard crying in a kitchen.

The child, whose age and gender cannot be published for legal reasons, added: “I was again brave and I pushed Mariusz to stop it and he stopped it.

“Then I checked my brother and I checked if he had got any marks and I saw loads (of) marks on him and I keep him safe.

“Mariusz didn’t bother to look after him properly, he didn’t even give him food or clean him.”

Concentration camp

Daniel, whose physical condition was likened by a doctor to that of a concentration camp victim, is alleged to have been deliberately starved over several months.

The primary school pupil was pronounced dead in March 2012 after paramedics were called to his home.

Krezolek, 33, and Luczak, 27, who came to Britain from Poland in 2006, have admitted child cruelty, but deny charges of murder and causing or allowing Daniel’s death.