Bail for father who broke baby's legs

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A young Napier father who broke his baby daughter's legs has been remanded for sentence after pleading guilty to hurting her - 14 months after telling police how she was injured.

The teenager, who first appeared in court soon after the child was admitted to Hawke's Bay Hospital in March last year, pleaded guilty this month to charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure, and causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard for the child's safety.

In the High Court at Napier Justice Forrest Miller continued bail to June 11 although the father is unlikely to be sentenced at that time.

His name is suppressed in the interim.

When admitted to hospital the child was found to have three fractures in one leg and two in the other. A break in her left tibia was older than the others.

Interviewed by police just hours after the child's admission to hospital, the father admitted that when he had been looking after the child alone he had reacted in "blind anger" and bent her leg back, meaning to hurt her but not realising what could happen.

He had on other occasions clutched her as if to frighten her, wondering later what he had been doing.

But he also realised he had issues with looking after the girl, because she would be "fine" with the mother, but start crying when he held her, and he needed help looking after his daughter.