Courts / Dublin / Report
Suspended sentence for dad who beat son with umbrella
Summary
A 42‑year‑old taxi driver was given a suspended six‑month sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting his 11‑year‑old son 20 times with a metal umbrella. The incident occurred on 16 February 2020 when the son was locked out of the father's house after an access visit. The son, who had been told by his father that he would be "thrown in the hell fire by God" if he told his mother, was left outside for over an hour, cold and wet, before being brought back to the father's home. There, the father beat him in the sitting room, repeatedly asking "Will you run away again?" The son suffered bruises and a cut to his knee. The father denied ever physically punishing his children and has no prior convictions. He has since taken parenting and conflict‑resolution courses. The judge noted the seriousness of the breach of trust and the boy's continued fear and distress.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for dad who beat son with umbrella. Charges or matters: one count of assault causing harm to the child in his Dublin home on February 16, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 16, 2020 Incident
- 2023-04-27 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of assault causing harm to the child in his Dublin home on February 16, 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Pic: Criminal Courts of Justice building By Isabel Hayes A taxi driver who beat his 11-year-old son 20 times with an umbrella after locking him out of his house in the rain has been given a suspended sentence. She handed down a six-month sentence which she suspended in full on a number of conditions, including that the man continue to engage in a conflict resolution course for another six months.
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