Dad battered son, 6, for ‘being gay’ after he sat on another boy’s lap then savagely attack his mum… – The US Sun
A HOMOPHOBIC dad battered his six-year-old son after he sat on another boy’s lap before savagely attacking his mother, a court has heard.
The father-of-three, from North Queensland, Australia, flew into a rage after he thought his son and his pal were having a “sexual engagement”.
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Speaking in Mackay District Court on Monday, defence barrister Scott McLennan said the act “triggered something in him, he wasn’t able to cope with it.”
The court heard how the landscape gardener, 28, repeatedly hit his eldest son before pushing him to the ground, The Courier Mail reports.
The attack left the terrified child with bruises.
During the attack, the boy’s mum ran to protect her infant daughter but was followed by the 28-year-old pinned her to a wall and choked her unconscious.
The court heard how the thug dad told the mum, “you better f***me after this” before she passed out.
When she regained consciousness, he reportedly apologised to her before slapping her again after she tried to comfort her young daughter.
The sustained attack, which lasted for a number of days, eventually came to an end after a welfare officer visited the family which led to the man’s arrest last August.
He has remained in custody since then.
The dad, who can’t be named for legal reasons, told police after the attack: “It’s hard to explain it, I caught my boy sitting on another boy’s lap, this is the saddest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
“I’m a piece of s***. I shouldn’t have put my hands on my kid, but [as] a matter of fact I have.”
While in custody the 28-year-old attempted to persuade the boy’s mum to drop the charges claiming he “would miss out on the children’s lives”, the court heard.
The dad even ignored police protection and domestic violence orders after trying to contact the mum in September and October.
The 28-year-old was charged with attempting to pervert justice, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, choking, and five counts each of common assault, contravening a domestic violence order and police protection orders.
On Monday, the father-of-three pleaded guilty to all offences and was jailed for three years by Judge Tony Moynihan.
A parole hearing is due to be held on December 18.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available every day from 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.