A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been found guilty of causing the death of toddler Joshua Jones. The two-year-old's mum has also been found guilty of allowing her child to be harmed.

A jury of six women and five men returned unanimous verdicts against Nichola Bowman, from Runcorn, and Wayne Davenport, of Hale Road, Widnes, at Chester Crown Court today, Thursday, followng a seven-week trial.

The pair had denied killing the two-year-old boy, who was found dead on November 6, 2007 at Tilbury Place, Murdishaw - the home his mother Bowman shared with her then partner Davenport.

Davenport, who was alone with Joshua when he died, had denied a charge of manslaughter, while Bowman maintained she was not responsible for causing or allowing Joshua's death.

Bowman instructed her solicitor to arrange a second post mortem examination and discovered on December 13, 2007 that her son had died from 'blunt force trauma'.

When Bowman was initially interviewed after Joshua's death she defended Davenport.

But when police arrested her the following July she blamed him for her son's death.

Joshua died from brain swelling. Two weeks earlier he was taken to hospital with a double break to his left arm.

In hospital, doctors discovered bruises and marks on his body.

Sentencing has been adjourned until a date to be fixed. Davenport was remanded in custody pending sentence, and Bowman released on conditional bail.

More on this story to follow.