5-y-o beaten for taking juice from fridge

A Corporate Area man was ordered to receive parental counselling for the next two years as part of his sentence for child cruelty charges.

Omelio Bailey pleaded guilty to cruelty to a child and assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he was brought to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday. The court heard that on December 7, the mother of the complainant, who is a five-year-old boy, was sent to spend time with Bailey who is his father. The child, in his statement to the police, indicated that he took juices from the top of the refrigerator. Bailey then held him by his jaw and squeezed him causing him to sustain bruises and swelling. Attorney-at-law Donahue Martin, who represents Bailey, told the court that his client is remorseful for his actions.

"He has been remorseful from the very moment that the incident happened, and he has had enough time in custody to contemplate and note the error of his ways and to appreciate that there are alternative means of discipline, especially for children," Martin submitted to Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague.

On the count of assault, Bailey was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at hard labour suspended at two years and he is to receive parental counselling. For the charge of cruelty to a child, he was sentenced to four months' imprisonment suspended for a year. Bailey also paid $120,000 in court as restitution.

- T.T.