Adelaide parents accused of horror assault on baby barred from contact with other children

WARNING: Graphic content

The parents accused of the horrific assault of their own baby have been barred from interacting with any other children, as prosecutors warn the charges against the pair are “very serious”.

The man and woman, who cannot be named or be pictured, fronted Christies Beach Magistrates Court in Adelaide on Tuesday charged with criminal neglect and two counts of intentionally harming their baby.

The pair were arrested in August, with the police alleging the couple inflicted serious injuries on the infant.

The baby was taken to hospital on May 3 with a swollen leg.

A medical examination found several serious injuries, including bone fractures.

The charge sheet document, seen by NewsWire, alleges the abuse occurred between March 27 and May 3.

It also states the parents neglected the infant between those dates and that the baby suffered harm from the result of “an act”.

“(They) ought to have been aware that there was an appreciable risk that harm would be caused to (the alleged victim) by the act and failed to take steps that they could reasonably be expected to have taken in the circumstances to protect (the victim) from harm,” the charge sheet reads.

On Tuesday, the court was told the parents had two children, a baby and another young child.Magistrate Joanna Martin imposed a suppression order on the pair’s identity to protect the identities of their children.

The parents are on bail and Ms Martin clarified the conditions of their agreement, prohibiting them from remaining in the company of or caring for any child under the age of 18 years without the direct supervision of another adult.

The police prosecutor pushed for the clarified condition, arguing stringent restrictions governing interactions with children were often imposed in child sexual abuse and assault cases.

“We say there is a requirement for the protection for the public but, in particular, for children and for vulnerable children,” she said.

“The charges that both defendants are facing are very serious.

“Yes, they were against their own child, but we have serious concerns about the ongoing risk to any other children if that condition wasn’t in place.

“That there could be other young infant children that might come into the care of their company and that is the situation we want to avoid.”

The man’s defence lawyer asked Ms Martin how his client should follow the order in day-to-day life, for example when taking a bus.

“If he’s sitting next to a young child on a bus, move seats,” Ms Martin said.

“Pretty simple, all right? Don’t sit with children.”

The alleged assault and neglect happened in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

A charge determination date has been set for January 27 at Adelaide Magistrates Court.

The man and woman declined to make any comment after leaving the court.