A Co Louth man has gone on trial charged with assaulting a 14-month-old boy, causing him harm. He also faces a charge that he wilfully assaulted the child, who was in his care.
After the alleged assaults the infant was hospitalised because doctors were concerned about "suspicious bruising" to his face, Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.
At the time the 23-year-old accused man was living with the boy's mother. He had offered to mind him while she went shopping on October 15th, 2004.
Reporting restrictions were imposed by Judge Pat McCartan.
The jury heard that when the boy's mother returned about 2½ hours later, the child was in his cot and the accused left to go to the bank. The boy's aunt went to get him from the cot and found bruising and red marks to the left side of his face. The mother thought he might be having an allergic reaction, the court heard.
The child stayed that night with his father, who had weekend custody of him. The mother said if the boy got worse to ring her. He rang her the next day to say he had not slept well, had not eaten and was "not himself". The following morning he went to a chemist who advised him to bring the boy to a doctor.
A doctor referred them to the A&E department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. A paediatrician decided to admit the child. He was in hospital for five days and made a full recovery.
The trial continues before Judge McCartan and a jury this morning.