A Queensland man will face a Supreme Court trial accused of murdering his infant son after a magistrate heard his injuries were "consistent" with being shaken.
Tiaan Burger, of Gladstone, was charged with the murder of four-month-old Finnick Hercules Burger on January 15, 2020 following a committal hearing in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
Burger was arrested on January 25 that year, then aged 27, and was later granted bail by the Supreme Court.
His solicitor, Brendan Ryan, spent more than 30 minutes questioning Rohan Samarasinghe, the pathologist who carried out an autopsy on Finnick.
Mr Ryan asked Dr Samarasinghe whether fractures to Finnick's posterior ribs could have been caused by "falling from a height from a change table onto his back?".
Dr Samarasinghe responded that it would be highly unlikely.
"I haven't seen fractures like that - that are symmetrical from both sides - from falling," he said.
Dr Samarasinghe said there was evidence of bruising on Finnick's front and back with "no other explanation than squeezing" from a man's hands.
The pathologist agreed that it was "consistent with a shaken baby" and the resulting brain injuries that Finnick appeared floppy and made unusual crying noises before becoming unresponsive a short time later.
The prosecution did not call further evidence once Mr Ryan finished questioning Dr Samarasinghe.
"I can see there is a prima facie case made out against my client and he consents to be committed to the Supreme Court for trial," Mr Ryan said.
Magistrate Peter Saggers formally charged Burger with murder.
He did not enter a plea or give a further response to being charged.
Burger was ordered to stand trial in the Supreme Court at a date to be determined by the Director of Public Prosecutions and his previous order for bail was continued.
Outside court, Mr Ryan said his client would not be speaking further.
