Logan Mwangi’s body was found with 56 external injuries and severe damage to his abdominal area.
A man accused of murdering Logan Mwangi has said he is “not proud” of how he treated the boy, but did not punch him in the stomach before he died.
John Cole, 40, is continuing to give evidence at Cardiff Crown Court.
He is on trial with partner Angharad Williamson, 31, and a boy, 14. They all deny murdering the five-year-old.
Logan’s body was found in the River Ogmore in Sarn, Bridgend, last July with 56 external injuries and severe internal damage to his abdominal area.
Under cross-examination by Ms Williamson’s barrister, Peter Rouch QC, Mr Cole explained how Logan behaved during his isolation for Covid in the days before he died.
He said they kept the boy in his room with a baby gate over the doorway, making him face the wall when anyone else came in, but Logan had tried to find ways to get out of the room.
“He gave both of us angry looks,” Mr Cole said.
The defendant – who is 6ft 4in tall and “between 14 and 15 stone” – told the jury he could talk “in a forceful voice”.
Mr Rouch asked him about an argument with Ms Williamson, suggesting Mr Cole was getting angry with Logan “flinching when he came near”.
“Angharad said words to the effect that you are always picking on Logan,” the barrister added.
This was something Mr Cole denied.
The barrister also said Mr Cole had hit Logan “twice in the stomach”, but the defendant replied: “I did not hit Logan in the stomach.”
Mr Cole also denied encouraging the teenage defendant to “sweep the boy’s legs” if he moved.
Mr Rouch said Ms Williamson then threatened to leave Mr Cole and ran out of the house saying, “I am sick of these rows, I am sick of it,” to which John Cole is alleged to have replied: “If you do, I will kill him.”
Mr Cole also denied this, saying the row was caused by his partner picking up Logan by the arms and shaking him.
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Mr Rouch also referred to a neighbour texting another neighbour saying “baldy is going bananas”, referring to his behaviour before the boy’s death.
Mr Cole previously told the jury he did “clip the boy’s head” and “tapped him on the hand” to discipline him.
He said: “I am not proud of what I did, but I have admitted what I have done.”
The jury were shown the black Nike holdall bag that the couple put Logan’s body into.
Mr Rouch said it had been measured by police and was 2ft 2in (67cm) in length, adding: “Logan was 3ft 5in. How did you get him into the bag?”
Asked, “did you cram him in?”, Mr Cole replied: “I don’t remember. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
Mr Cole has admitted a charge of perverting the course of justice, which Ms Williamson and the 14-year-old deny.
The two adults are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child, which they both deny.
The trial continues.