Bowen Basin father charged with assault seven-week-old child

A Queensland father has been arrested and will face court over an alleged shocking assault on his newborn child. DETAILS

Police have arrested a Bowen Basin man for alleged assaulting his seven-week-old child.

A Bowen Basin father charged over an alleged shocking assault on his newborn child will remain behind bars on remand.

The 23-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday and appeared in court today.

Police allege the seven-week-old baby presented to a hospital in the Isaac region on Tuesday with significant injuries.

As a result police attended at the hospital and began investigating the circumstances into the injuries.

Mackay District Detective Acting Inspector Chris Eaton said police alleged the person responsible was the child’s father.

Mackay District Detective Acting Inspector Chris Eaton. Picture: Janessa Ekert

He was arrested the following day.

It is understood police will object to any bail application.

The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with one count of grievous bodily harm as a domestic violence offence, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 14 years jail.

Acting Inspector Eaton said it was alleged the injury occurred within a specific period of time when the child was under the father’s care.

The child is recovering.

Under Queensland law child victims of crime cannot be identified.

When the matter was mentioned in court for the first time the man did not make a bail application.

As a result he was remanded in custody.

The case will be mentioned again in November.