Alexander Hata Canterbury-Davies

Background

Background
From the Daily News 15th March 2008
A Hawera man was yesterday found guilty of sexually violating his 15-day-old baby boy. Name suppression for Alexander Hata Canterbury-Davies was lifted after a jury found him guilty following a four-day trial in the New Plymouth District Court. Canterbury-Davies was found guilty of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, injury with intent and assaulting the baby's mother on or about March 15, 2007 at his home in Ohangai, near Hawera.

He was also found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice between March 15 and April 10 this year after he sent a letter from jail written on toilet paper to his partner, asking if she could get the charge dropped or tell police she had over-reacted to the assault. Judge Allan Roberts remanded the 35-year-old in custody, to reappear for sentencing on April 23, at 9am.

The little boy suffered severe bruising from his waist to knees, as well as to his genitals and injuries to his anus. Crown prosecutor Cherie Clarke said Canterbury-Davies had been drinking alcohol from 3pm and assaulted the young child after he had repeatedly dirtied his nappy. Canterbury-Davies hit his partner in the lip, splitting it and knocking her over, when she had asked him to let her bath the boy.

During the trial the woman told the court she heard Canterbury-Davies say, "I'll give you something to cry about" while he was looking after the little boy. She said he had admitted smacking the baby. Defence lawyer Susan Hughes, QC, said there had been no witnesses to the assault and two people were caring for the baby at the time.