THE mother of murdered toddler Sanam Navsarka said she was in denial about the abuse of the child.

Zahbeena Navsarka didn't want to believe that co-accused Subhan Anwar was hurting her two-year-old daughter, Bradford Crown Court was told.

Taking to the witness box for the first time, Navsarka said she loved her daughter and would never hurt her.

Both Navsarka and Anwar, 21, of Riddings Road, Deighton, deny murder. Anwar denies causing or allowing the death of a child.

But Navsarka admits failing to protect her daughter, saying the basis of her guilty plea was because she knows she failed prevent significant harm being caused to Sanam by, she alleges, Anwar.

James Curtis, for Navsarka, asked: “Looking back, what should you have done?”

She replied: “Taken her away from him.”

“How many times have you asked yourself that?” Mr Curtis asked.

“Lots of times,” she replied. “I was in denial about it.”

Navsarka was educated at Thornhill Lees High School in Dewsbury and lived in the area until she moved to Batley when she was pregnant with Sanam.

She said Sanam was a healthy child and “would run about like toddlers do”. She said Sanam was scared of Anwar who could be “really nasty” to the little girl.

She discovered Anwar was married on her birthday, March 19, which he initially tried to deny. He also claimed his pregnant wife’s baby was not his until challenged.

On April 1 Navsarka and Anwar moved to a two bedroom house in Deighton, where it is alleged Sanam received the 107 injuries she had when she died on May 8.

When asked why she didn’t leave him, Navsarka replied: “He said he wanted to be with us, like a dad for Sanam.”

She said that Anwar would teach Sanam swear words and once she came home to find the tot with a bust lip and lump on her forehead. “I thought he might have done it, but he denied it. I guess I was in denial. I wanted to believe he’d not done it.” By the end of April Navsarka discovered she was pregnant, but miscarried the baby after her arrest for murder in May. But Navsarka says she is not blameless.In one incident on April 27, she was trying to cut Sanam's hair and squeezed her legs as she sat between her own legs. Sanam screamed in pain and Navsarka slapped her “five or six times”. But she added: “Even though I hated him I still wanted him there because I didn’t want me and Sanam to be there on our own.”The case continues.I wanted to believe he’d not done it.”

By the end of April Navsarka discovered she was pregnant, but miscarried the baby after her arrest for murder in May.

But Navsarka says she is not blameless.In one incident on April 27, she was trying to cut Sanam's hair and squeezed her legs as she sat between her own legs. Sanam screamed in pain and Navsarka slapped her “five or six times”.

But she added: “Even though I hated him I still wanted him there because I didn’t want me and Sanam to be there on our own.”

The case continues.