4-year-old boy 'beaten for stopping star jumps'

Photo / APN

A 4-year-old boy had bruises over his buttocks and lower back after his mother's partner struck him because he stopped doing "star jumps" without permission, a court was told yesterday.

Jared Dennis Garrett, 38, unemployed, began making the child do "star jumps" in November last year, punishing him physically if he stopped before being told he could so, the Dunedin District Court heard.

On November 26, a staff member at the boy's daycare centre noticed bruising on the child's bottom.

Child, Youth and Family became involved and a paediatrician examined the boy and found his buttocks and lower back were covered in bruises.

Garrett was questioned about the matter but refused to make any statement.

He was charged with wilfully ill-treating the boy and committed for trial but later pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting a child.

Crown counsel Louise Denton told the court yesterday Garrett tried to transfer some of the blame to the child, claiming he bruised easily. That had been ruled out by the paediatrician.

Ms Denton said the offending had affected the boy, who was now distrustful of adults and expected to be harmed whenever he heard raised voices.

His life had been disrupted as he been taken away from his mother and was now living with his biological father.

On the charge of assaulting a child, Judge Paul Kellar sentenced Garrett to nine months' supervision.

- Otago Daily Times