Devon stepfather sentenced for smacking daughter
GoogleA stepfather who smacked his daughter so hard he left a handprint on her bottom has been sentenced for assault.
He was arrested after the four-year-old girl's grandparents saw the bruising, Exeter Crown Court heard.
The man, 23, from Torbay, Devon, told police he had punished the child for being naughty and had not realised he was breaking the law.
He admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 40 hours' unpaid community work.
The court heard the girl told her grandparents: "It hurt. Daddy hit me."
Judge David Evans said: "You disciplined this four-year-old too hard. You thought that being in a parental position entitled you to do that.
"That has not been the case for a good number of years. Slapping a child's backside so it is bruised is criminal.
"You did not know that and I am satisfied you are genuinely remorseful and this will not happen again."
Gordon Richings, prosecuting, said the girl was staying with her grandparents in November when they noticed bruising while she was in the bath.
Her stepfather, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also ordered to pay £250 costs, and has to attend 20 days of rehabilitation.
