A 24-year-old father has been acquitted of a serious charge alleging he threw his infant son against a wall with intent to cause him serious harm.
The father of one cleared his name of the severe charge but was sentenced for a related assault on his de facto partner after appearing before the court.
The court sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years for one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The charges stemmed from an incident on the morning of April 12, 2025, whereby he struck his partner’s face twice after a night of heavy drinking, causing swelling.
The assault took place in the presence of their seven-month-old son.
The court heard that the standard sentencing tariff for domestic violence assault ranges from six to 18 months, with a maximum penalty of five years.
However, the judge Justice Lee James Burney, exercised discretion to suspend the 12-month sentence after considering a highly favourable pre-sentence report.
The report revealed that the accused was young, a first-time offender and the sole breadwinner for his family, which includes two children under the age of two.
The victim informed the court that the assault was an isolated incident, she had also forgiven him and witnessed a significant positive change in his behaviour since his release from remand.
If the accused commits any crime within the next two years, he will serve a term of 12 months behind bars.
