Kahui denies hurting twins to get King home

Chris and Cru Kahui. Photo / Supplied

Chris Kahui has denied hurting his three-month-old sons to get his then partner, Macsyna King, to come home.

Chris Kahui said he was annoyed Ms King was not at home on the two nights before police say the twins were fatally injured, when he gave evidence during the inquest at Auckland District Court today.

Police lawyer Simon Mount asked him if hurting the twins was a way of getting Ms King to come home. She was with her sister, Emily, on the afternoon and evening of June 12, 2006, when the injuries allegedly occurred.

He denied that, and said he did not know the twins had serious injuries.

Mr Kahui has told the inquest he had never done anything to hurt his children.

He never hit them, hurt them or shook them in any way, he said.

Mr Kahui said he thought Ms King must have caused their fatal injuries.

"I have never done anything to hurt my children. I never asked Macsyna if she did it. I didn't do it so I thought she must have."

Mr Kahui denied he had ever used methamphetamine or cannabis, but admitted to occasionally drinking alcohol.

In the weeks leading up to the twins' deaths, Mr Kahui spent almost every day in hospital with his seriously ill mother, so Ms King looked after the twins most of the time.

He did not know she was using methamphetamine when the twins were at home, he said.

Cru and Chris died in hospital from severe head injuries in June 2006.

Mr Kahui was found not guilty of their murders in a High Court trial in 2008, at which his lawyers said Ms King killed them.

Ms King has denied she caused the injuries which led to the babies' deaths.

Mr Kahui will continue to give his version of events at the inquest today.

- NZPA