A MAN who pleaded guilty to assaulting a two year old child was given the maximum five years by Judge Diarmuid Sheridan at Kilkenny Circuit Court yesterday.
The court was told that human bite marks were found on the young girl, who had bruising and swelling on her thighs, legs, forehead, cheeks, arms and hands, and a cut over one eye.
Sgt Paschal Connolly, in evidence, said marks on the girl's thigh and hand were consistent with human bites. He said the assault happened on June 9th, 1993, when the girl, the daughter of the woman the defendant was living with, was two years and 10 months old.
The defendant, Paul Malone, had an address at Courtnaboughala, Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny, at the time but said in a statement he was born and reared at Newpark, Kilkenny.
Counsel for the defendant, Mr Michael Delaney, said Malone came from a violent background. There was turmoil and tragedy in the family, and his brother had been murdered.
He said the defendant had been abused when he was 15.
Malone said that on the day of the assault the child was tampering with a video machine. She had broken it before, he said. He lashed out and hit her with a steel bracelet on his arm.
The assault lasted five or 10 minutes, he said. When his girlfriend came home, he told her the child had an accident.
Judge Sheridan suspended two years of the five year sentence because Malone had come back from England to face the charge.