Dad who smacked 10-week old Wakefield baby for crying is spared custody

The man who cannot be named to protect the child’s identity, was told by the judge at Leeds Crown Court that it was “quite clear” he was remorseful having been left suicidal by his actions.

The court heard that the 42-year-old dad had been left alone to look after his daughter for only the third time in November 2023, but there had been concerns raised about his mental health by this point.

When his partner returned home to the Wakefield area that night, there was no mention of what had taken place. But at around 8am the next morning he woke the mum and told her that he had smacked the baby on the bottom.

He was hysterical, saying he “felt like a monster”, took a knife from the kitchen and threatened to end his own life.

He was disarmed and continued to cry, prosecutor Ben Whittingham told the court.

The child was taken to Pinderfields and two 8cm x 6cm bruises to each buttock were examined. It was concluded it was consistent with smacking by a hand.

The defendant later confessed during his police interview that he had hit the child “four or five times” because she would not stop crying, but stopped when he realised it was making her worse.

Little mitigation was offered by his barrister after Judge Christopher Batty said he would not lock him up.

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Judge Batty told the dad: “This was an isolated incident which was no doubt very unpleasant.

“It’s clear you were at a low ebb at the time and struggling.”

He gave him 10 months’ jail, suspended for 18 months, and told him to complete 25 days of rehabilitation with probation.