A MAN who bit his two year-old son’s head and armpit in August has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, Monday.
Charles Salven Dori, 24, was jailed after pleading guilty to one count of cruelty to children.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea in his sentencing remarks said this incident is a demonstration of a father who does not care about the wellbeing and safety of his young son.
“Instead of protecting his child from harm, he was the one who inflicted serious injuries, through the bites to the body of his child,” Iomea said.
He added that the reason why the offence was committed remains unexplained.
“Even if there is an explanation, there is no justification for what the accused did.
“It was an act of cruelty, an unlawful act against an innocent young child who had no physical power to resist and defend himself from the violent aggression behaviour of his uncaring father.
“What he could only do was to cry in agony as the pain ran through his body,” Iomea further added.
He described the offending as unusual.
He said it is in the sense that what the defendant did was at odds with the standard of care and trust expected of a sound and reasonable father to his own biological child.
“A father should provide for is family and protect them against any form of violence.
“Safety and security of family members should be the utmost duty of a father.
“In this case, the accused had breached the trust placed on him.”
The incident occurred on 24 August 2019 at around 11pm in the evening at Valesala village, Tina area.
The court had heard that on the day of the incident Dori was drinking alcohol outside of their veranda.
After drinking his bottles of Saratoga, Dori went inside the house and carried his son from his son’s grandmother (mother of the defendant’s wife).
He was heard uttering to his son that he is his only child he will die with.
Having heard this, the child’s grandmother went to Dori and carried the child away from him.
The court heard that later on, Dori went to the child’s grandmother and attempted to pull the child away from her.
Dori used his hands to grab the child’s both armpits as he tried to pull the child away.
The court further heard that while both were struggling in pulling the child, the child cried and the grandmother let go of the child to Dori.
It was then heard that later on, Dori bent his head down and bit the child’s left side head upper to the child’s left ear and armpit.
Iomea said the medical report indicated that the injuries sustained by the child at his side head upper to the child left ear and armpit are from Dori’s bites.
He imposed a starting point sentence of two and a half year imprisonment but later reduced 18 months imprisonment.
This is to reflect the accused’s guilty plea and other mitigating factors.
He also ordered the sentenced to be back dated to 28 October 2019, to the day when Dori was first remanded in custody.
Public Solicitor’s lawyer, Bobby Harunari represented Dori while Police Prosecutor Lyndon Adifaka prosecuted the matter.
