My blood just about boiled when I read that a Hamilton man who beat his 9-month-old son around the head and jammed a "solid object in his mouth causing him significant injuries" was sentenced to just nine months' home detention.
What an absolute slap in the face for all those people out there fighting against family violence.
He also assaulted the baby's mother — not for the first time.
The maternal family of the baby are absolutely horrified and rightly so.
At the very least his sentence should include anger management and some kind of parenting course.
That poor baby had no chance — he couldn't run, he couldn't scream for help — he was at the mercy of his very own father who obviously has no idea how to love him.
Police are considering an appeal. I really hope they decide to go ahead.
Sending him home is just not on — it's as if he has been simply put in the naughty corner until he's ready to hit out at the next person he gets involved with.
While this case wasn't local, yesterday a man was sentenced in the Napier District Court for beating his 12-year-old daughter and then trying to prevent the course of justice — among other charges — to nearly six years in jail.
Both judges mentioned that the men were remorseful.
Really? I think they are just remorseful because they were sitting in front of a judge. Both have a violent history.
Is six years enough? Only if when he is released he has a different attitude to women and children.