A FATHER from Ellesmere Port who assaulted his own two-week-old baby was spared an immediate jail term.
Michael Thornton, 23, now of Lambsickle Lane, Runcorn, tried to convince his girlfriend and mother of baby Riley Thornton that his cheeks had been scratched accidentally at their home on Doune Court on November 17 last year.
But, when bruising developed the day after, Amy Evans became suspicious.
Thornton, who served three years in the army, was sentenced on Friday at Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston Magistrates Court.
In April he admitted assaulting his partner of two-and-a-half years and criminal damage to a door in their house.
The court heard Thornton was extremely critical of how his girlfriend dealt with the baby.
On November 7 he punched a hole in a door when Miss Evans arranged to take Riley out. He later turned up drunk at her mother’s house – where she had decided to stay – and was abusive to Miss Evans and her mother before pushing her in the chest in the garden.
At 5am on November 17, Thornton woke Miss Evans at their Doune Court home to say he had accidentally scratched Riley while winding him.
After reddening on his cheeks came out in bruises, Miss Evan’s mother called a domestic abuse advisor and Riley was later examined at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
His left cheek still had a bruise measuring 0.5cm and there was a 0.2cm mark on his right cheek.
Thornton was given suspended prison sentences of 24 weeks for the assault on Riley, eight weeks for assaulting Amy Evans and four weeks for criminal damage, all to be served concurrently bringing the total to 24 weeks, suspended for two years.
