Tauranga baby murder trial adjourns

The High Court trial of a man accused of murdering a three-month-old boy in Tauranga last year resumes this morning, after being adjourned following issues raised by public defender Rob Stevens regarding the Crown's opening.

Crown prosecutor Anna Pollett says the degree of violence used in the baby's death on June 7, 2016, is the reason the defendant is charged with murder.

He has name suppression, which prevents media from publishing any details that may lead to his identification.

The baby suffered unsurvivable trauma, says Anna.

'The skull was cracked like an eggshell.”

The affected area was 11cm by 8cm – with the point illustrated by CT scans shown on a screen for the jury, comparing the dead baby's skull with that of a normal infant's skull.

The scan clearly shows what expert witnesses will go into detail about during the Crown case. The baby suffered multiple skull fractures around the sides of the skull and indentations at the back.

The accused has admitted culpability, leaving the issue for the jury to decide whether the baby's death is manslaughter or murder, says Anna.

Medical experts will tell jurors of the significant force required to cause just one skull fracture, says Anna.

'Here the deceased suffered multiple skull fractures caused by a major impact or impacts to his head.”

Medical witnesses will tell jurors about the significance of sub-dural bleeding and brain tissue tears in relation to impact force over coming days, says Anna.

To prove murder, the Crown must establish murderous intent beyond reasonable doubt.

'Either the defendant completely lost it and decided to kill the baby, or he caused injuries he knew were likely to kill and carried on regardless,” says Anna.

Public defender Rob Stevens objected to the jury being presented with the two issues, instead of just the second one that he initially thought the Crown case would be based upon.

The session after lunch was taken up with legal argument without the jury present.

After hearing him, Justice Mary Peters granted an adjournment until Tuesday morning.

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