Liam Whoriskey returned for trial over the murder of Kayden McLaughlin-McGuinness who was found dead at his home in the Bogside in September 2017
Liam Whoriskey, of Glenabbey Gardens in Derry, appeared at a preliminary enquiry at Derry Magistrates’ Court.
Before the PE started, deputy District Judge Philip Mateer QC warned the packed public gallery that “all proceedings will be conducted with dignity”.
The 24-year-old defendant is charged with the murder of Kayden McLaughlin- McGuinness on a date between 15 and 18 September 2017.
He is also charged with causing the death of a child by an unlawful act between the same dates.
Whoriskey is further charged with cruelty to a child under 16 on 15 August and a similar charge on a date between 6 and 16 September.
The accused was returned for trial to Derry Crown Court sitting on Tuesday, January 29.
He was remanded back into custody to the high security Maghaberry prison in Co Antrim.
After Whoriskey was laid away in handcuffs by prison officers, friends and family of the deceased started shouting abuse at Whoriskey’s family sitting on the other side of the courtroom.
Police quickly moved them outside and there were no further incidents.
A previous hearing in June last year heard a detective tell a judge that Kayden had sustained 13 blows to the head in what the officer described as a “blunt force attack”.
The court heard Kayden would have survived for only 30 minutes after suffering the fatal blow.
A post mortem examination also revealed the toddler had sustained a rib fracture, between six and 10 days before his death.