Londonderry: Father who slapped baby during nappy change jailed
- Published
A man who punched, kicked and slapped his three children, including an 11-month-old baby as she crawled away during a nappy change, has been jailed.
The man admitted three charges of child cruelty at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Friday.
The offences occurred on dates between 1 January 2014 and 30 June 2019.
A judge jailed the 50-year-old man for six months for causing unnecessary suffering to the children.
Judge Barney McElholm told the court the man's offending was not "the odd slap" but was a "sustained and frequent" course of action that "terrorised" his children.
The court in Derry heard statements from the children in which they said their father "was always being aggressive".
On one occasion he had slapped his oldest son in the face and kept him off school until the marks faded. On another occasion a toy sword was broken over one of the children.
One of the children, when aged four, was punched several times on the arm, the court heard. They were also hit with a wooden spoon and kicked.
The children said that they were not allowed to play outside nor have friends round.
On more than one occasion he kept them off school "to hide bruises," the court was told.
'Physical chastisement'
When interviewed by police the man admitted slapping the 11-month-old baby because she had started to crawl away while he was changing her.
He claimed the baby would understand "physical chastisement".
He told police he could be "physical" with the children but said marks on his oldest child were because the boy had "sensitive skin".
Police were also told by the children's grandmother that she felt "uncomfortable" visiting.
She said the oldest child had told her about being physically ill-treated by his father including being kicked and punched.
A defence solicitor told the court it was difficult to make any mitigation. He said that the defendant "doesn't even want me to try".
Sentencing, Judge McElholm said he thought "we had put those days behind us when people physically chastised their children".
He sentenced the man to six months in jail and imposed a five-year restraining order.