A father who hit his baby son because he knocked a photo frame off a television has been ordered to pay him £50 compensation.!!

The man, who cannot be named, lost his temper when the 10-month-old hit the television with his baby bouncer, Exeter magistrates heard.

The 24-year-old man, from Okehampton, Devon, admitted assault and was given a 16-week jail term suspended for a year.

He was also ordered to complete 60 hours of community service.

The court heard that the incident happened last December.

Facial injuries

Neil Lawson, prosecuting, said the man admitted to the boy's mother that he had hit the boy.

He told her he had "clipped" or "tapped" his son because he had knocked the photo frame off the television.

However, when the mother checked her son, she found he had facial injuries and there were finger marks on his face.

Doctors said the injuries were caused by a hand slap and the police were called, Mr Lawson said.

He added: "Instead of slapping his hand, he slapped him in the face."

The father is now estranged from his partner and his son, the court was told.

Rachel Bentley, defending, said: "It was an isolated incident. He was annoyed with the boy. He is sorry."

Magistrates said the low compensation figure was "not to minimise the seriousness of the offence" but took into account that the boy's father was out of work.

The boy's mother was not in court.

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