Cruelty suspect sent back to jail

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A father who allegedly subjected his 9-year-old West Auckland daughter to years of abuse and cruelty has been found living in a house where other young children are present.

The man, who was jointly charged with the girl's mother after the girl was found by police hiding in a wardrobe, was in custody until last week when his lawyer applied to the High Court to have him released on bail.

Bail was granted on strict conditions, including not going near West Auckland where the alleged offending occurred and not associating with any children under the age of 16.

The Herald understands the man, who has name suppression to protect his daughter's identity, was released last Tuesday after the hearing and went to live with family in Wellsford.

But he was sent back to jail two days later after police learned there were children at the address.

Detective Sergeant Megan Goldie said she could not discuss details of the case but confirmed the man was found to be "breaching" the conditions of his bail and was back in the Auckland Central Remand Centre.

A person who knows the family told the Herald she was concerned about the man living at the Wellsford address for the short time he was there because of the children who were present.

She did not know if they lived there or were frequent visitors, but they were at the home where the man was staying, against the conditions of his bail.

His lawyer Brenda Donald refused to make any comment on the case or breach of bail.

The man and his partner, who also has name suppression, were arrested in November after police arrived at their West Auckland home to find their terrified daughter hiding in a cupboard.

She had bruising over most of her body, an infected nailbed where her toenail had been pulled off and a broken foot.

According to a police summary of facts released by the court, the father has denied any offending against his daughter, instead claiming it was his co-accused and that he had "tried to stop her beating up the victim".

The mother is facing 32 charges including injuring with intent, assault with various weapons, wilful neglect by failing to seek medical help, withholding food, and causing grievous bodily harm.

The girl's father is facing eight charges.

He allegedly hit her at least once a week for most of 2009 and 2010 and withheld food from her in the week before she was found by police.

In the two weeks before he was arrested the father allegedly used a broken broomstick to hit his daughter around her back and head, laughing afterwards saying "he had broken it over her head".

He is also alleged to have "tag-teamed" in beatings, with one parent taking over when the other got tired.

In another incident he allegedly hit the girl about 15 times with a steel vacuum pipe and told her she had better not lie again or she would "get a serious hiding every day for the rest of her life".

Police say the father told the girl's maternal grandmother his daughter had caused "a lot of shit for the family and she is going to suffer".

The girl is now in the care of Child, Youth and Family.

A spokesman said she was "doing well with her caregivers" and that she was making progress in weekly therapy sessions.