Father accused of killing baby boy keeps name secret

The man appeared in the High Court at Auckland today. Photo / File

An Auckland man accused of killing his 11-month-old son will keep his name a secret, while the reasons for the gag order are also suppressed.

Police arrested the man in November last year and today he appeared in the High Court at Auckland for the second time.

Justice Timothy Brewer outlined the allegations against the man and said: "The deceased baby suffered a subdural haematoma, which the Crown in this case characterises as not accidental."

But the man's lawyer, Rachael Reed QC, told the court there was no further evidence against her client.

"No other injuries, any sign of anger, other convictions, no bad parenting," she said.

The charge, she added, was solely "a conclusion as a result of the medical evidence".

Reed also sought continued name suppression for the man.

Justice Timothy Brewer granted the suppression application, which was not opposed by the Crown, until trial in November.

"Ultimately if the interim suppression is to be made permanent that will be a matter for the trial judge."

Reed further asked for the reasons for the name suppression to also be hidden from the public.

"Given that those details are all sensitive and personal medical details, I grant that application," Justice Brewer said.

The court heard the Crown has also applied for a pathologist to give evidence at the trial via video from Scotland.