Qld dad facing torture charges over alleged mistreatment of baby boy

A young dad accused of carrying out ‘sustained abuse’ after his baby son was found with burns and 19 fractures has made a stunning request to a Brisbane court.

The man faced Brisbane Magistrates Court charged with four counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count each of torture, fail to supply the necessaries, rape, sexual assault, and stalking.

A baby boy was removed from both his parents’ care after he was found with 19 fractures and burns, allegedly inflicted by his own father.

The boy’s father, in his early 20s, is charged with torturing and assaulting the boy between April and November 2024.

The man made an application to Brisbane Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to vary his bail so that he could have contact with his son.

His son, who recently turned one, had been taken to hospital for a burn injury when staff uncovered a swath of additional internal injuries, the court heard.

He had 19 fractures to different bones, all at different stages of healing – which the prosecution will allege points to a “sustained pattern of abuse” as opposed to an accident.

The boy also had 10 bruises and three burns – one of which the father admitted to being involved in but claimed was an “accident” as a result of an oven tray.

The court heard a doctor’s opinion, however, was that the boy’s hand must have been held for a protracted period of time due to the extent of the burn.

Defence lawyer Jarrod Bell said the bulk of the allegations were merely “finger pointing” by the boy’s mother, who the man is alleged to have committed sexual offences against.

Mr Bell acknowledged the allegations were serious, but said his client contested them.

“I should stress that these allegations are not accepted and will be taken to trial,” he said.

His client was initially granted bail in November 2024 under conditions he have no contact with the boy, who has since been taken into the care of the Department of Child Safety.

Mr Bell said his client, who had no criminal history, had been compliant with his bail conditions and completed a parenting course and men’s behavioural change program.

The man sought to have one hour of contact with the boy each week, as authorised by the Department of Child Safety.

Magistrate Lewis Shillito said it was “difficult to reconcile the desirability of that for the child in circumstances where it is alleged he had perpetrated significant violence against that child”.

But he ultimately granted the variation under the condition that the contact be in a fully supervised setting.

The man is charged with domestic violence charges including four counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count each of torture, fail to supply the necessaries, rape, sexual assault, and stalking.

Originally published as Qld dad facing torture charges over alleged mistreatment of baby boy