Warning: Contains distressing content

A dad prioritised his drug addiction over protecting his two daughters from physical abuse, resulting in serious injuries and significant suffering for the preschoolers.

The 32-year-old appeared before Judge Jonathan Krebs in Whanganui District Court yesterday, facing two charges of ill-treatment/neglect of a child under 18 years old.

Guilty pleas were entered to the charges after the defendant, who can’t be named to protect his children, was given a sentencing indication.

Defence lawyer Richard Leith acknowledged his client’s previous convictions but said the man was remorseful for failing to prevent the abuse and sought a sentence of home detention.

Crown prosecutor Jack Liu said the victims suffered extensive and life-threatening injuries, which required a deterrent sentence to to send a message that the behaviour had no place in the community.

“Ill-treatment and neglect of an infant is the greatest inhumanity in society,” Liu told the court.

Judge Krebs said the summary of facts detailed how after a routine Plunket health check early last year, , the father called 111 when he discovered one of his daughters limp and not breathing.

The man appeared in Whanganui District Court on Wednesday.

Emergency services responded and the girl, who had no visible signs of trauma, began breathing shallowly before she was taken to hospital and discharged the next day.

A paediatrician observed a blood clot in her nose.

Four days later during another health check at a Whanganui medical centre, a GP noted one of the girls had bruising on her right buttock and her right thigh was at an angle.

It was suspected she had a fractured left femur and her father was told to take her immediately to Whanganui Hospital for further assessment by the paediatric team.

At least three hours passed before he arrived at the hospital with the girl.

X-rays confirmed both legs were broken and because her sister also had injuries they were admitted to the paediatric ward for further x-rays and tests.

At a multi-agency meeting, involving police, doctors and social workers, it was concluded the injuries were non-accidental.

Considerable force would have been neeed to break the girl’s femur, a paediatrician detailed.

The next day the girls and their father were flown to Auckland’s Starship Hospital for further tests and scans.

One girl had suffered 15 fractures to her ribs, arms and legs, with some showing signs of healing, along with skull fractures. Her sister had 14 fractures to her ribs and what appeared to be a healing break to her left humerus.

A paediatrician confirmed there was no evidence of disease or conditions causing bone fragility.

The injuries were received from multiple assaults, and because of the volume they suffered both parents must have been aware they were being physically abused, the paediatrician said.

But Judge Krebs stressed it had not been established how the girls were injured and their father had not been charged with inflicting the injuries.

He had, however, failed to prevent his daughters from being harmed and acknowledged his culpability during an interview with a probation officer.

Instead of protecting and caring for the girls he had chosen to focus on feeding his addiction to methamphetamine and cannabis, he told the probation officer.

He harboured ongoing resentment towards his own father for not being there, had been tormented by bullies at school, resulting in his angry moods and he began drinking alcohol at a young age.

Judge Krebs said his actions towards his daughters were a reflection of the harm he had suffered in his own childhood.

While a sentence of home detention was sought by his lawyer, Judge Krebs ruled that because of the serious nature of the offending it wasn’t an option and instead adopted a sentence start point of five years and six months’ imprisonment.

After allowing a 45 per cent discount for his guilty plea, willingness to attend a drug treatment programme, desire to make better decisions in his role as a father and motivation to be a productive member of the community, Judge Krebs imposed a final sentence of three years’ jail.