Queensland man admits killing toddler son

A Queensland father has admitted he tortured his one-year-old son for four months before killing him.

Shane Purssell Akehurst pleaded guilty on Monday to manslaughter after his son Corby Mitchell died in hospital in March 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to a torture charge stemming from a series of assaults on the toddler from November 2014.

Corby was airlifted to hospital from their home at Kin Kin, near Gympie, with critical injuries and died two days later.

Akehurst, 37, was originally charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm and five counts of assault, with his charges later upgraded to murder and torture.

The court heard on Monday prosecutors had dropped the murder charge for the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Akehurst, a machine operator, appeared wearing prison greens and sporting a thick beard.

He was remanded in custody until his sentencing in Brisbane Supreme Court at a later date.