A mother accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter has told a jury her partner “took control” of her child.

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

The two-year-old's body was discovered at a temporary housing unit in Sidegate Lane in Ipswich.

On Thursday, Gleason-Mitchell took to the stand and told the court Jeff abused two-year-old Isabella by “putting her in cold showers, throwing her onto the floor and hitting her”.

The 24-year-old said: "He started to say he had control of her and that it was only his kid.

“It made me feel upset.

She told the court that Isabella "was scared" and that when she told her partner to stop "he just pushed me out of the way".

The court also heard a text message from Jeff to the Gleason-Mitchell’s mother, Anne Mitchell, who was “worried” for her daughter.

In the message he told her “leave us alone” and added “you are a disgusting human being and you’re nothing but a pest”.

However, in the early days of her relationship with Jeff, Gleason-Mitchell said: “He made me feel I was wanted and that I was actually being loved.

“He had a really good attitude to my daughter and that made me feel really happy."

But a few weeks before Isabella’s death Jeff began taking over Isabella's day to day care said Gleason-Mitchell.

She added: “Scott was doing everything, changing nappies, bathing and dressing."

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.