Sutherland, dressed in a black sweater and with heavy stubble on his face, appeared briefly before Judge Peter Hobbs in Wellington District Court yesterday.
He previously pleaded not guilty to one charge of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Caleb.
He has also pleaded not guilty to one charge of assaulting an 8-year-old, and one charge of breaching a protection order relating to the same child.