Father gets probation for biting his newborn son
TA district court finds father guilty of abuse, sentencing him to one-year's probation. Seeking treatment is in best public interest, says judge
The man was found guilty of biting his six-week-old son, causing him severe injuries that required his hospitalization.
The prosecution asked the court for jail sentence, given the nature of the crime, claming the man's actions undermined the basic parental obligation of protection
"The defendant, who was the one person that should have provided ultimate protection for this child, was the one abusing him, showing callousness and cruelty to a helpless, defenseless newborn."
'What kind of message are we sending?'
Defense attorney argued the accused was experiencing mental distress, and was undergoing treatment.
"This is a reprehensible act," wrote Judge Ra'anan Ben-Yosef in his verdict "…but we mustn't ignore the fact that seeking treatment is, in the long-run, the better way to serve public interest. Putting a man behind bars isn't always the right course of action," he added.
The judge went on to agree with defense council that the injuries the man's actions caused his son were not as severe as prosecutors claimed, ultimately granting the defense's motion for a lighter sentence, without jail time.
"We plan to petition the State Prosecutor's Office to revoke this ridicules verdict," said Dr Yitzhak Kedman, head of the National Council for the Child, Thursday.
"If this is the verdict given for a crime punishable by up to nine years in jail, what kind of message are we sending potentially abusive parents?" added Kedman.
