Dad killed toddler son by hurling him at bed frame 'with everything he had'

Little Corby Mitchell was tortured for months by his dad before he was thrown against the frame, leaving his eyes bleeding internally.

A dad killed his one-year-old son by hurling him at a bed frame 'with everything he had', leaving the youngster's eyes bleeding.

Shane Purssell Akehurst brutally attacked little Corby Mitchell at their rural Australian home after torturing the toddler for months.

A court heard the father-of-three had grown angry at the behaviour of the youngster, who was "restless" and refusing to go to sleep.

Grabbing him with force - "probably with everything I had" - he furiously hurled the boy towards a bed, prosecutors said.

Corby slammed against the wooden frame and hit his head.

Brisbane Supreme Court heard this week that the impact was so forceful that he suffered whiplash and his eyes bled internally.

The toddler, who began convulsing, was rushed to intensive care after his dad called the emergency services, the court was

Despite efforts to save him, he was declared brain dead, ABC reports.

His life support was turned off, with an autopsy later finding he died after losing consciousness and suffering a cardiac arrest.

Akehurst was originally charged with Corby's murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter after the charge was downgraded.

He also admitted torturing his son - who was often punched if he called out at night -over a four-month period before his death.

The father will be sentenced later this month.

The court heard Corby was killed in March 2015, when he was alone with his dad at the property in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Other family members were said to be out shopping at the time.

Following the horrific attack, Akehurst called triple-zero and the youngster was raced to hospital, news.com.au reports.

The father initially told police he had found his son on the bedroom floor, according to the site, but he later changed his story.

He admitted hurling Corby at the bed in a burst of anger.

The youngster was found to have 81 separate injuries, with an MRI identifying significant head trauma, the prosecution said.

Other injuries included bruises, cuts and fractures, the court heard.

Mark Green, prosecuting, said Akehurst had "intentionally inflicted pain and suffering" on his son, including "popping" his ribs.

The toddler also had bruised genitals and a missing fingernail.

But the court heard that not all of the dozens of injuries on the tot's body "were consistent with an intention to commit violence".

Mr Green claimed that Akehurst resented his son, who was said to be receiving more attention from his wife than their other two kids.

But Rob East, defending, said the father constantly thinks about Corby and what he did to him - which has "destroyed" his family.
He also said his client felt he had "never bonded" with the boy.

Akehurst pleaded guilty to manslaughter this January, and also admitted a torture charge relating to assaults from November 2014.

Corby's family have spoken out since his death, saying the toddler is "not forgotten" and remains in their hearts.