A dad accused of murdering his baby daughter has an acute form of epilepsy and was suffering from a seizure when she was fatally injured, a court was told.

Aimee-Rose Sandland, who was born on September 27, 2012, was five weeks old when she died on November 9, 2012.

She had been taken to hospital on November 5, 2012 following an incident – the details of which have not been revealed.

On Friday her father, heavily tattooed Mark Sandland, appeared in Lewes Crown Court.

The 27-year-old, who spoke only to confirm his name, wept in the dock.

He did not enter a plea to the count.

Lewis Power, defending Sandland, said he would deny the charge against him.

He said: “He [Sandland] suffers from an acute form of epilepsy.

“He believes he suffered from an attack [when the incident occurred].

“It’s a complex case.”

Mr Power outlined three defences which were likely to be referred to.

There is a legal defence known as ‘Automatism’. It argues that a person cannot be held responsible for their actions if they had no conscious knowledge of them.

The case was adjourned until a plea and case management hearing on January 10, 2014.

Sandland, of Cambridge Road, Hastings, was remanded in custody.