North Queensland man accused of torture, throwing baby

A man has pleaded not guilty to throwing an infant baby and subjecting a woman to hours-long torture. Details on day one of the trial.

North Queensland man accused of torture, throwing baby. Picture: generic

A man who is accused of subjecting a woman to hours-long torture and throwing a baby has pleaded not guilty to the charges on day one of the trial.

The North Queensland man, who can’t be named to protect the child’s identity, appeared before a jury in Townsville District Court on Monday after he was charged with a range of domestic violence offences.

He pleaded not guilty to torture, common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and strangulation but pleaded guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and two counts of common assault before the jury.

Crown prosecutor Rana Aldas told the court he was alleged to have picked up his girlfriend’s two-month old baby and thrown her.

She said he has also been accused of stomping on the 20-year-old woman’s head as she laid on the ground in the yard.

The alleged torture was said to have occurred on April 13 last year, when the prosecution claim the man accused a woman of being unfaithful and then across several hours, “repeatedly assaulted her”, “controlled her movements” and “tried to hang himself”.

“(The woman) will describe how she was repeatedly punched, stomped on, had items thrown at her and strangled to name a few,” Ms Aldas said.

“Throughout the ordeal he had implements, at one point he had a knife and had thrown various objects that had struck her.

“She will tell you that both herself and the defendant consumed drugs throughout this period.”

Ms Aldas showed the jury of five females and seven males, pictures of bruises on the woman’s leg, arm and face during her opening address.

She said they would hear evidence from arresting officers and medical experts throughout the trial who examined the alleged victim for injury.

“At around 4pm after witnessing the defendant try to hang himself, the (woman) ran out of the home with her daughter and sought assistance from a neighbour,” the crown said.

When examined, the doctors did not find the baby to have injuries but found bruises, swelling and abrasion to the woman, the crown said.

The trial which is expected to go for three days will be held before Judge John Coker and is expected to resume on Tuesday morning.

Originally published as North Queensland man accused of torture, throwing baby