A MAN assaulted his wife as she held their baby son in her arms, a court has heard.
The 34-year-old punched the woman with such force that her head knocked against the child, then aged five months, as she cradled him.
Yesterday Huddersfield magistrates sentenced the father to a community order, telling him that his punishment was a direct alternative to prison.
The man was found guilty of assault after denying the allegation at an earlier trial in the court.
Magistrates were told that the attack happened at the then family home in Marsh on August 9 last year.
The court heard that at about 7pm, the man’s wife had returned from visiting his mother in Birmingham.
He then came home and the couple argued about food shopping.
The man then told his wife that he wanted her out of the house and she started to pack her belongings while he rang his mother to complain about her.
They continued to argue and she took their son – who cannot be named – from him. The man then punched his wife to the right side of her head.
The force of the blow caused her to bang her head against her baby’s.
He kicked and punched her several times more and as she tried to call police he snatched the phone away.
His wife managed to leave the house when her cousin arrived in a car outside.
When interviewed by police, the man told police that his wife’s injuries were self-inflicted and denied ever being violent towards her.
He made the same claim at his trial, but this claim was rejected by magistrates.
The man is already subject to a county court non-molestation order, which prevents him from using or threatening violence.
Magistrates sentenced him to a community order for 12 months, including 240 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation and court costs.
Bench chair Liz Rogan told him: “This was an unprovoked attack on your wife while she was holding your son.
“We saw the distress of the complainant when she gave evidence and she’s still suffering emotionally.
“The community order is a direct alternative to custody.”
