NASSAU-A man who punched his 12-year-old daughter in the face and threatened to kill her for “being sassy” could spend three months in prison if he doesn’t attend counselling.
Police arrested the 35-year-old man following the incident at his home on September 5.
He pleaded guilty to threats of death and cruelty to children when he before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes on Tuesday, September 8.
Prosecutors Sergeant Kenny Thompson told the court that the man came home drunk and asked his daughter if she wanted something to eat.
He got upset when she refused the food that he’d brought back. The father punched the girl and threatened to kill her as she spoke to her aunt on the phone, the court heard.
The maintenance worker told the court that he didn’t intend to hurt his daughter, neither did he want to kill her.
He said, “The incident just blew out of proportion. I wasn’t trying to kill my daughter. I’ve been taking care of her for the past 12 years.”
The father claimed that the child lived with him because her mother couldn’t handle her “sassiness”.
The man has one year to successfully conclude anger management, parenting and alcohol abuse programs.
The incident won’t show up on his record if he does.
