Job Search
1. Search for a role, such as "tax accountant"
2. Choose your State
3. Click Search
'loving' Father Broke Baby's Limbs
26 May 1998
A man who pleaded guilty to breaking his four-week-old daughter's limbs and bruising her body was a loving father, the County Court was told yesterday.
Matthew Paul Gardeniers, 24, an apprentice roof tiler of Dorothy Grove, Ferntree Gully, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of recklessly causing serious injury to his daughter, Victoria, between 28 August and 22 September 1997.
The court was told that Gardeniers was living with his de facto wife, Ms Julie Morris, 19, at the time the injuries were inflicted. After he broke the baby's arm on 22 September, he called an ambulance to take her to Box Hill hospital, the court was told.
At hospital, the baby was diagnosed with the other injuries, including a two-week old broken leg. She has been in state custody since.
Mr Boris Kayser, prosecuting, said witnesses had heard Gardeniers yell at the baby several times, including saying "if you don't f------ shut up I'm going to smash your f------ head, you bitch".
Ms Morris said that Gardeniers otherwise looked after the baby in every regard, feeding, clothing and loving her.
Mr Geoffrey Steward, for Gardeniers, said psychological analysis since the incident showed that his client had attention-deficit hyperactive disorder, poor concentration and limited intellectual capacity. He had been abused as a child.
"No one in the world" would have wanted less to hurt the baby than Gardeniers, he said.
Judge Leo Hart extended Gardeniers' bail until a date to be fixed for sentencing.
