Derry Court: Man (52) jailed for 'viciously assaulting' his 8-year-old daughter in local supermarket

A man has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court for what a judge described as 'viciously assaulting' his 8-year-old daughter in a local supermarket.

Seamus Mullan (52) of Foyle Park in Derry faced one charge of assault on the child on August 31 last.

The court was shown CCTV of the incident when Mullan was shopping with his mother in Tescos in Quayside.

He could be seen striking the child twice with his open hand knocking her to the ground.

The child then ran to her mother who happened to be in the supermarket at the same time in what was described as 'a chance encounter'.

The assault was witnessed by the 8-year-old's sister.

A worker in the store also reported the incident to her manager.

When questioned about the incident the defendant said he had been with his elderly mother and the child had been annoying her.

He claimed that the child had pulled his mother's hair and said he was trying to protect his mother.

He denied assaulting the child and said he would not do that.

Defence counsel Fergal McCormack said the footage 'speaks for itself' and added that Mullan accepted the facts. 

He said it was 'disproportionate chastisement'.

District Judge Barney McElholm said said that what he saw was 'a lively, slightly naughty' 8-year-old doing what children of that age do.

He said that the child had done nothing wrong except be lively and if anyone had problems with that they had a poor memory as everyone was that age once.

He said Mullan had 'viciously assaulted' the child and then lied about it.

The judge said it was 'horrifying for someone to attack his 8-year-old daughter like this.'

He added 'this demands an immediate custodial sentence' and jailed Mullan for 8 months.