Archie Spriggs murder trial: Mother tells court she fantastised about faking deaths and 'disappearing'

Archie Spriggs died of asphyxia at his home in Rushbury, near Church Stretton, on September 21 on the day his parents were due to attend a preliminary hearing at family court after his father applied for custody.

Lesley Speed, 44, told the court she had joked with her partner Darren Jones about running away to the seaside and “disappearing”.

Giving evidence in the witness box she said a series of letters addressed to members of her family were not written on that day.

Miss Rachel Brand QC, defending, asked her: “What were you contemplating?”

Speed replied: “It was just fantasising about disappearing off for my new life.”

Under cross-examination Miss Sally Howes QC, prosecuting, suggested to Speed that a letter addresed to Archie was her “last resort” to stop his father Matthew Spriggs from “having anything to do with his son, to remove Archie and kill him”.

Speed replied: “Absolutely not. I meant disappear, faking our deaths. Driving away and having a life.”

The case so far:

• Sobbing mother denies killing her seven-year-old son

• Seven-year-old could have tied ligature, court told

• ‘Blocked airway’ to blame for boy’s death

• Mother 'tried to revive son after finding him hanged'

• Both parents claimed schoolboy was emotionally abused by the other

• Teachers 'didn't think Shropshire schoolboy was at risk'

• Partner tells of horror scene at family house

• Shropshire mum murdered son Archie, 7, with a scarf, court is told

She also denied influencing Archie to write two letters to the courts to help her case, which were found in his room.

Miss Howes also asked her why she failed to phone the emergency services when she found Archie in his room.

Speed told the jury: “I was just in a blind panic. I tried to resuscitate him.”

Miss Howes then repeated the question, again adding “Why?”.

Speed replied: “I tried to resuscitate him.

"I don’t know why. I can’t answer that. I was hysterical. There is not a day that goes by when there isn’t a million and one questions that I can’t answer.”

At the time of the schoolboy’s death Speed was involved in an acrimonious custody battle with her ex-partner Matthew Spriggs after he applied to the family court for a residency order.

The prosecution alleges that she strangled and smothered Archie Spriggs at home in Rushbury Road, Rushbury, near Wall under Heywood, on September 21, fearing he would be taken away.

Speed, who has a history of mental health issues, claims she found her son hanged.

She denies murder. The trial continues at Birmingham Crown Court.