News (Media Awareness Project) - Australia: Drug Addict 'Tortured Baby For Five Weeks' |
| Title: | Australia: Drug Addict 'Tortured Baby For Five Weeks' |
| Published On: | 1998-10-14 |
| Source: | Courier-Mail, The (Australia) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-06 23:05:15 |
DRUG ADDICT 'TORTURED BABY FOR FIVE WEEKS'
A GOLD Coast marijuana addict had admitted inflicting horrific
injuries on an 11-month-old baby girl in a systematic torture which
lasted five weeks, a court was told yesterday.
Taliah Emily Cole was in a critical condition in Brisbane's Mater
Children's Hospital yesterday with a perforated bowel, a fractured
leg, severe internal bruising and bruising to her legs, arms, back and
head.
She was barely clinging to life after being airlifted to Brisbane by
an emergency medical team on Monday, hours after her mother took her
to the Gold Coast Hospital.
The Southport Magistrates Court yesterday was told Rory John Maguire,
30, unemployed, who had lived with the baby and her mother at a
Parkwood residence for four to five months, had suicidal tendencies
and frequently went into "uncontrolled rages".
Maguire, who surrendered himself to police, entered no plea to one
charge of torture and two charges of causing grievous bodily harm.
Police prosecutor Senior- Sergeant Michael Purcell said Maguire had
admitted assaulting the baby on numerous occasions over the past five
weeks, and told police he had pushed his thumb into her eye, squeezed
her legs and head, and punched her in the stomach.
Sen-Sgt Purcell said the last and most serious of the assaults, which
had escalated in the past two weeks, occurred on Monday, when Maguire
hit the baby in the stomach because she cried while he was changing
her nappy.
"He struck the baby in the stomach, causing it to vomit," Sen-Sgt
Purcell said.
"(On another occasion) he pushed his thumb into the baby's nose and it
slipped into her eye, causing a black eye."
Snr-Sgt Purcell, who opposed bail, said Maguire had been a marijuana
addict for 17 years and had smoked five cones the night before the
latest assault.
Defence solicitor Terry Strong said his client had recognised he had a
problem with drugs and was awaiting placement at a local drug
rehabilitation centre for treatment.
Magistrate Peter Webber said Maguire posed an unacceptable risk to
society and remanded him in custody to appear for a hearing on
December 8.
Checked-by: Patrick Henry
A GOLD Coast marijuana addict had admitted inflicting horrific
injuries on an 11-month-old baby girl in a systematic torture which
lasted five weeks, a court was told yesterday.
Taliah Emily Cole was in a critical condition in Brisbane's Mater
Children's Hospital yesterday with a perforated bowel, a fractured
leg, severe internal bruising and bruising to her legs, arms, back and
head.
She was barely clinging to life after being airlifted to Brisbane by
an emergency medical team on Monday, hours after her mother took her
to the Gold Coast Hospital.
The Southport Magistrates Court yesterday was told Rory John Maguire,
30, unemployed, who had lived with the baby and her mother at a
Parkwood residence for four to five months, had suicidal tendencies
and frequently went into "uncontrolled rages".
Maguire, who surrendered himself to police, entered no plea to one
charge of torture and two charges of causing grievous bodily harm.
Police prosecutor Senior- Sergeant Michael Purcell said Maguire had
admitted assaulting the baby on numerous occasions over the past five
weeks, and told police he had pushed his thumb into her eye, squeezed
her legs and head, and punched her in the stomach.
Sen-Sgt Purcell said the last and most serious of the assaults, which
had escalated in the past two weeks, occurred on Monday, when Maguire
hit the baby in the stomach because she cried while he was changing
her nappy.
"He struck the baby in the stomach, causing it to vomit," Sen-Sgt
Purcell said.
"(On another occasion) he pushed his thumb into the baby's nose and it
slipped into her eye, causing a black eye."
Snr-Sgt Purcell, who opposed bail, said Maguire had been a marijuana
addict for 17 years and had smoked five cones the night before the
latest assault.
Defence solicitor Terry Strong said his client had recognised he had a
problem with drugs and was awaiting placement at a local drug
rehabilitation centre for treatment.
Magistrate Peter Webber said Maguire posed an unacceptable risk to
society and remanded him in custody to appear for a hearing on
December 8.
Checked-by: Patrick Henry
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