What the jury didn't know: Baby's killer was on bail

Aaliyah Morrissey was 2 years and 8 months old when Michael Curran bashed her to death.

The jury that found a man guilty of murdering a 2-year-old girl did not know he was serving a jail term for killing a woman nine months earlier.

The eight women and four men on the jury also did not know that Michael John Curran was free on bail awaiting trial for that killing when he murdered Tauranga toddler Aaliyah Morrissey.

He strangled his lover, Natasha Hayden, 24, at McLaren Falls in the Kaimai Ranges in January 2005 and was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of manslaughter.

Curran's violent past can be revealed because suppression orders were lifted after last night's verdict.

Aaliyah's case has prompted renewed calls for juries to be told of defendants' previous convictions and for changes to legislation allowing murder suspects to be released on bail.

Outside the High Court at Rotorua, the families of both victims said they wanted bail laws changed to prevent others being killed by such offenders.

"It doesn't make common sense to put a murderer out in the community," Aaliyah's father, Brad Morrissey, said.

Mrs Hayden's father, Brian Brown, said: "Getting bail when you're out on a serious charge such as murder beggars belief."

The pair also said juries should be told of an accused's convictions.

Lawyers and witnesses in this week's trial had to avoid all reference to the fact Curran was on bail at a house with his wife and children when he murdered Aaliyah in September 2005.

She was the daughter of neighbours, and was bashed to death by the 28-year-old after being left in his care.

As with the killing of Mrs Hayden, Curran admitted causing the death, but denied doing so intentionally.

He also has convictions for indecent assault and perverting the course of justice and has been tried for rape and acquitted.

He was twice refused bail after killing Mrs Hayden, but the High Court reversed the decision on appeal, for reasons that have been suppressed until now.

Police opposed bail, saying his convictions for perverting the course of justice raised the possibility he would interfere with witnesses.

They did not raise the risk of violent offending, and Justice Mark Cooper ruled that, though the case was "finely balanced", he was not satisfied the Crown had proved the need for Curran to stay in jail, especially because of the length of time he would have to stay there before his trial.