A BARROW dad who left a red hand mark on his daughter’s bottom has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

The man, who we are not naming to protect the identity of the victim, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting or abandoning a child to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

Prosecutor Julian Goode told Preston Crown Court the victim, on her way back from contact with her father who no longer lives with her, said to her mother: ‘Daddy pinned me down and hit me’.

Upon returning to her mother’s property, the child then complained of having a sore bottom, the court heard.

Mr Goode confirmed to the court that checks by her mother revealed a red hand mark was located.

Reading her victim impact statement to the court, the mother said: “On occasions when taking the children to school, he would drive past me and have a big grin on his face.

“She is no longer the bubbly child she once was prior to this happening and I have seen her completely change into a different child.

“I feel if I cannot trust their dad, then who can I trust?"

The court heard the victim scored highly for symptoms of PTSD at a counselling session.

In mitigation, Joshua Bowker said: “This was a deeply unpleasant piece of behaviour which has had wider consequences for the family.

"He plays a significant role in the lives of his partner’s children and social services have no concerns with his involvement of these children."

Sentencing the defendant to a 12-month suspended sentence for 18 months, His Honour Judge Guy Mathieson said: “One incident of violence to a child is too many. When you act like you did, you devastate lives both young and old.

“You have forgotten that being a parent is a privilege and not a burden or inconvenience. All children really want is to have love and stability and perhaps their parents to be a part of their lives even if they are estranged. You had forgotten that.  

“Do not blame Mum, blame yourself if they do not want anything to do with you.

“I think this is the best sentence for you to prove you are now a better person.”

His Honour Judge Mathieson also made the defendant subject to a ten-year restraining order, 30 RAR days and a six-month mental health treatment requirement.