KEY POINTS:
The jury in the murder trial of Michael Curran had a gruelling morning today viewing large coloured slides and hearing graphic details of the horrific injuries suffered by Tauranga toddler Aaliyah Morrissey
The 28-year-old Hairini man has acknowledged causing the little girl's injuries but denies any attempt to
murder.
In the witness box for three hours was Niles Kelly, a consultant paediatrician at Auckland Starship hospital and a leading expert in child abuse - particularly inflicted head injuries.
This is the fourth day of the trial in the High Court at Rotorua before a jury of eight woman and four men.
Dr Kelly described at length severe internal abdominal damage, extensive bruising to the face, trunk, buttock and limbs, a recently broken arm, and injuries to her ears and eyes. There were 33 separate external bruises and cuts on the toddler's body.
Aaliyah died, brain-dead, two days after suffering massive head injuries on September 13, 2005 while in the care of Curran, a neighbour and friend of her parents.
Curran sat impassively, as he has done all week, not looking at the slide screen.
Aaliyah's parents who gave their tearful evidence early in the trial were not present in the public gallery this morning.
Curran yesterday admitted lying to police three times "because he didn't want to be blamed for all her injuries".
On Monday, he admitted he shook the toddler who then died of massive brain injuries on September 15, 2005.
He is on trial this week in the High Court at Rotorua for the 2-year- old's murder but he says it was manslaughter.
Curran denies ever striking the child or inflicting the 33 separate bruises which were also found on Aaliyah's body.
The horrific injuries included bruises to her genital area, head, ears, cheeks, eyes, trunk, abdomen, buttocks, and right thigh, as well as a broken arm.
Aaliyah died of massive brain injuries two days after she was admitted to Starship Hospital.
Crown solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones told the jury that medical experts would confirm the toddler's brain injuries were consistent with her head striking a solid object and/or violent shaking.
The serious bruising to the toddler's abdomen and genital area were likely to have been caused by her being stomped on or kicked.
On the morning of September 13 Curran was looking after Aaliyah while the girl's mother, Hoana Morrissey - who lived two doors down - and Curran's wife, Donna, went off shopping.
Curran earlier claimed that during this time the toddler had just "collapsed and become unresponsive", possibly due to the result of a fall at his house three days earlier.
The toddler had apparently fallen from the top bunk and landed on a wooden toy box at his Haukore St home during the night when she slept over. But apart from bruising to her eye and face she seemed fine, he claims.
Curran was interviewed three times by Detective Mark Pakes about the toddler's injuries and the jury was yesterday told about Curran's three different versions of events.
But during a video interview with Detective Trevor Brown on October 5, 2005, Curran admitted he had lied in those statements and finally wanted to come clean.
Curran said he didn't want things "hanging over his head anymore" and wanted people to stop blaming him for something he hadn't done.
Curran also admitted sending text messages to Aaliyah's father and others telling them he wanted to kill himself, due to the extreme stress he was feeling about causing her death.
Curran said he had a lot of respect for Mrs Morrissey - with whom he had had a brief sexual relationship - and needed to own up to what he'd done.
"It's my fault that she collapsed because I shook her but I didn't bruise her, punch her or whack her or touch her or do anything apart from shaking her.
"I didn't hit her because I'm not that sort of person. I never intended to hurt her, I just wanted her to stop crying."
Curran said he lied because he was in shock.
"I have three kids of my own, a wife and family and know how I'd feel if it happened to me.
"So I clammed up and listened to what my mother told me to do."
On Tuesday, Curran's mother, Susan Curran, admitted she also lied "to protect her son", telling people for two years that she was with him when Aaliyah became floppy and unresponsive.
Curran told Mr Brown that within 10-15 minutes of his wife leaving, Aaliyah woke up screaming for her mum and his 9-month-old son also woke screaming out for his bottle but he had no milk to give him.
He had been smoking dope that morning and "was stoned and not quite thinking right" and it all got too much when she just wouldn't stop crying.
"I couldn't take it anymore so I picked her up and was shaking her and shouting at her to stop and she just went all limp and I put her down on the couch to try and revive her and she wouldn't respond.
"I was freaking out and didn't know what to do so I rang my mum and did what she told me to do."
He got some water and a wet towel and put it on Aaliyah's face and head to try to wake her up but she didn't respond.
She then sat up "zombie-like" but she went limp again.
He would have rung the ambulance straight away but his mother urged him to wait until Mrs Morrissey arrived.
Advance paramedic Janet Espin gave evidence yesterday that Aaliyah was in an unresponsive state when she arrived at the house at 12.43pm on September 13, with all the signs of having suffered a severe head injury.
Ms Espin said she was told about the "bunk incident".
Two of Curran's friends, two of his neighbours and a trainee social worker also gave evidence yesterday of Curran telling them slightly different versions of the "bunk incident".
The trial continues.
- BOP TIMES / NZPA
