Pair broke baby's ribs

A Nelson couple have been remanded in custody after being found guilty of abusing their baby.

The boy was found to have 28 fractures to his ribs and two fractured arms between May 25 and June 23 last year when he was just weeks old.

One arm was broken while he was being treated at Nelson Hospital for other injuries he suffered.

After more than 16 1/2 hours' deliberation at the end of a three-week trial, a jury in Nelson District Court yesterday found the 19-year-old woman and 25-year-old man guilty of causing grievous bodily harm for fracturing the baby's arms.

It also found the father guilty of grievous bodily harm for fracturing his son's ribs but cleared the mother.

The father was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice by inducing the woman's brother to make a false confession of causing grievous bodily harm to the baby. The mother previously admitted the charge.

Not guilty verdicts were returned over other injuries found on the baby.

The court was told that the couple were no longer in a relationship.

Judge David McKegg remanded them for sentencing in February.

The defence contended the Crown had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants had harmed the child.

The Crown pointed out that the baby had not suffered any more fractures since being removed from his parents.

- NZPA