Christchurch, Jan 14 NZPA - A not guilty plea has been indicated by a Canterbury dairy worker accused of assaulting a Southland toddler leaving him with a brain injury.

Aaron Kenneth Charles Howell, 21, from Coalgate, Selwyn District, faces a charge of causing bodily harm to the two-year-old boy with reckless disregard for safety on May 31.

Defence counsel Tony Garrett today indicated the case was heading for jury trial, at a remand appearance before Judge Raoul Neave in Christchurch District Court.

Howell was remanded to a post-committal conference on January 22, when details will be settled for a call-over session that will set his trial date.

The boy was taken from Southland Hospital to Christchurch for an operation to relieve pressure on the brain, and then taken to Starship Hospital in Auckland where he spent five weeks.

After that, he was cared for by family members in the North Island, and late last year police reported that he was progressing well but had a brain injury.

Since then, Howell's defence counsel has sought specialist paediatric reports on the case.

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