Man jailed for slapping 11-month old daughter for moving when he was changing nappy

By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Sep 2023, 08:26 BST
The case was heard at Bishop Street courthouse, LondonderryThe case was heard at Bishop Street courthouse, Londonderry
The case was heard at Bishop Street courthouse, Londonderry
A 50-year-old man has been jailed at Londonderry Magistrates’ Court on Friday for causing unnecessary suffering to his three children including slapping his 11-month-old daughter because she moved when he was changing her nappy.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victims in the case, admitted three charges of child cruelty, on dates between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019, to his two sons and his daughter.

Londonderry magistrates’ court heard in statements that the children said their father 'was always being aggressive'. On one occasion, he had slapped the oldest son in the face and kept him off school until the marks faded, the court was told. The children said that they were not allowed to play outside nor have friends round.

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The court heard that one of the children, then aged 4-years-old, was punched several times on the arm.

The children were also hit with a wooden spoon as well as being kicked by their father, the court was told.

Victim impact reports from the defendant’s ex-wife and two of the defendant’s children revealed that they were 'afraid' of their father and that on more than one occasion he had kept the children off school in order 'to hide bruises'.

The children's grandmother also told police that she felt 'uncomfortable' visiting the house. She said the oldest child had told her about being physically ill-treated by his father, including being kicked and punched.

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On one occasion, he broke a toy light sabre over one of the children, the court was told.

At interview, the man confirmed to police that he could be 'physical' with the children but said the marks on his oldest son was because the boy had 'sensitive skin'.

He confirmed slapping the 11-month-old baby because she had started to crawl away when he was changing her, the court was told. He claimed the baby would understand 'physical chastisement'.

Defence counsel Fergal McCormack said it was difficult to make any mitigation in this case. He told the court the defendant 'doesn't even want me to try.'

District judge Barney McElholm said the children were 'terrorised and afraid” of their father. The man was jailed for six months and was given a restraining order for five years.