More fall out from "equal parenting": Dad pleads guilty to assaulting 4-year-old son during access visit (Brisbane, Australia)

Tennessee readers! And all other readers living in states, countries, etc. considering 50/50 parenting schemes! Listen up. Don't be fooled by the pretty rhetoric about "sharing" and "equality." Sometimes things are not as they seem. Some of the worst environmental legislation has "green" in the title. So look carefully before you buy into this stuff, because it's already been tried in Australia. And it's proved to be a big failure.

UNNAMED DAD has pleaded guilty to assaulting his 4-year-old son by beating him with a belt. The assault took place during dad's weekend access visit. The mother noticed the bruising on the boy and took him to the doctor, but was obliged to return the child to the father to continue his weekend visit. When the boy returned to his mother once more, he had additional bruising on his buttocks and legs. The boy said the father had promised to hit him with a belt a hundred times.

This idiotic father had a previous criminal conviction for sexual abuse, but in the "new order" that didn't stop him from getting access to his kids. Finally, his access to his kids (6 kids by 3 mothers) has been cut off--at least for now-- and we're supposed to feel sorry for him because he finds this "distressing." Boo hoo.

Like I really feel sorry for this guy. He gets probation and touchy feely parenting and anger management classes. Big F---ing Deal.

Frankly, I don't think this mother will ever get permanent protection for her child until mandatory "shared" parenting legislation is dumped in the pile of Bad Ideas that Didn't Work as Advertised.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/man-sentenced-for-belting-his-4-year-old-son/story-e6freoof-1225851777693

Man sentenced for belting his 4-year-old son

A BRISBANE father-of-six has this morning been sentenced to 12-months' probation and ordered to undergo parenting counselling for over-stepping the "boundary of good parenting'' by disciplining his four-year-old son with a belt.

The District Court in Brisbane was told the father, 37, repeatedly hit his son about the buttocks and thighs with a belt for "lying'' to him on both March 7 and 8 last year.

The father, who cannot be named due to recent changes to Queensland's Child Protection Act, today pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting his son and causing him bodily harm.

Prosecutor Caroline Marco said the child's mother notified police after first noticing that her son's buttocks were bruised after swimming on March 7.

She said the mother took the child to the doctors after noticing the bruising, but returned the child to her estranged husband later in the day to continue a weekend access visit.

The court was told when the child returned home from his father's on March 8 and the mother noticed the child's buttocks and thighs had sustained further bruising.

Ms Marco said when the child realised his father was going to discipline him with a belt, he asked how many times he could expect to be hit.

"(The boy) asked (his father) if he was going to give him one smack, but (the father) said he was going to give him 100 (hits),'' she said.

"The use of the belt to hit the child repetitively was consistent.

"On two occasions (the father) over-stepped the boundary of good parenting.''

When interviewed by police, the father said he only disciplined his children by smacking them on the hand or buttocks using only his hand.

Ms Marco said medical evidence showed the injuries to the boy were consistent with repeated blows from a belt.

The court was told the father had previous criminal convictions for sexual abuse. The offences related to repeatedly hugging a woman at a shop and fondling her breasts and genitals, Ms Marco said.

Barrister Stuart Shearer, for the man, said his client was the father of six children, born to three separate mothers, and has had no contact with any of them since he was arrested for assaulting his young son.

"He doesn't have any contact with any of his children any more,'' Mr Shearer said.

"Any father would find no contact (with their child fairly) distressing.''

Judge Leanne Clare, in sentencing the man, said in relation to both offences the father had acted outside the boundaries of good parenting.

"In each case you went beyond the limits of proper parenting ... into the realms of violence against your child,'' she said.

"That little boy is now afraid of you.

"(Based on your history) you have some real difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships with people close to you.''

Judge Clare, as part of sentencing the man to probation, ordered he undergo parent and anger management courses.