Man guilty of injuring baby son

Abigail Hartevelt | Friday, February 10, 2012 16:53

A Kaingaroa man has been found guilty of two charges of injuring his 4-month-old son but not guilty of causing him grievous bodily harm.

Benjiman Athol Boynton, 21, unemployed had been on trial in the Rotorua District Court after pleading not guilty to a charge of causing his son grievous bodily harm, a charge of injuring his son with reckless disregard for his safety and charge of maiming him which was amended to a charge of injuring on the last day of the trial.

The jury spent about seven hours deliberating on Thursday before returning verdicts on Thursday night.

Boynton was found guilty of the two charges of injuring where the child suffered leg injuries and a broken arm between November 29, 2009 and March 31, 2010 at Kaingaroa.

The jury found Boynton not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm where it was alleged the infant was left with a skull fracture, bleeding on the brain and bleeding in the back of his left eye.

Judge Phillip Cooper remanded Boynton on bail for sentencing in the Rotorua District Court on March 27.