A dope-smoking thug beat his four-year-old cousin to death because he peed sitting down instead of standing up “like a boy”, a court has been told.

Brutal Montrell Dionte Jolly of Lafayette, USA, is accused of murder and neglect of a dependent causing catastrophic injury.

He is also charged with causing aggravated battery and battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years old.

A grim autopsy report shows that victim Ke’andre Shamar Jolly had brain injuries and severe bruising all over his body.

Jolly – from Indiana State – was arrested on 28th July after paramedics were called to the family home about a child having a suspected seizure.

When they got there, medics found Ke’andre unresponsive and “soaking wet” on the floor.

It later emerged that Jolly had attacked the defenceless youngster for sitting down on the loo when he wanted to wee.

Furious Jolly was – says a police affidavit – outraged because his cousin was not standing “like a regular boy”.

The house – say paramedics – was filled with “a smoky haze” and reeked of cannabis.

And Ke’andre’s pupils suggested he had sustained a massive head injury and had not suffered a seizure.

Police later found bloodstains in the bathroom and bedrooms, as well as damage to the bathroom door.

Ke’andre never regained consciousness and died in hospital from blunt force injuries to his head on 1st August.

Jolly, 33, admitted to police he had punished his cousin with brutal wall squats for putting his shoes on the wrong feet.

But he denies beating him or causing his fatal injuries.

The boy’s mother, Jasontinae Jolly, was putting away shopping – say police – and it is unclear if it was she or Jolly who called emergency services.

Jolly faces up to 65 years in prison if convicted of all crimes, with an additional maximum jail term of 20 years if his priors are taken into account.

He is being held in custody, with his trial expected to take place in December.