A Canberra man has been acquitted of charges he squeezed his four-month-old son so hard he fractured 13 ribs.
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But a judge must still decide if the father is guilty of assaulting the baby in early 2011.
The ACT Supreme Court judge-alone trial has heard the baby, who is now in care, was examined at the Child Risk Assessment Unit at the Canberra Hospital in May 2011.
Paediatrician Judith Bragg told the court an initial check-up revealed abdomen bruising, friction burns and other superficial injuries.
X-rays revealed 13 separate rib fractures, which Dr Bragg said were consistent with a "deliberate inflicted injury", likely caused by an application of force consistent with squeezing or pushing.
The boy's mother gave evidence on Wednesday that she saw the accused shake and squeeze the baby in the abdomen so hard he vomited and cried in pain.
She also said she had seen the man punch the baby in the stomach and throw the child across the room.
The father, who cannot be named to protect the child's identity, pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two alternate counts of common assault.
Justice Richard Refshauge on Thursday acquitted the man of the more serious charges after finding evidence presented during the trial could not support the charges.
Defence barrister Anthony Hopkins immediately applied to have the alternate charges dropped, arguing the Crown case had been discredited to the point it would be unsafe to continue the trial.
Mr Hopkins said the mother’s evidence had been inconsistent and improbable, making up allegations “on the run”.
The defence argued the mother had denied knowledge of the injuries for 18 months until she accused the defendant in an attempt to absolve herself and regain custody of the baby.
Prosecutor Anthony Williamson admitted parts of the mother’s evidence had changed over time, but the primary allegations of squeezing the baby’s stomach had been consistent.
Justice Refshauge will hand down his decision on Thursday afternoon.