B.C. father convicted for 'spanking' sexting teen
Second case of parent convicted for 'spanking' teenagers in same small B.C. town
A father in Salmon Arm, B.C. was convicted in a B.C. court after he hit his 13-year-old daughter with a belt after he discovered she had been sexting.
The father — who is not named in court documents to protect the girl's identity — pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon. His sentence was later overturned in B.C. Supreme Court.
Court documents shows the man "found inappropriate photos of his daughter sent to boys and inappropriate photos from boys sent to his daughter."
"He admitted to getting very upset. He said he went from zero to 60 and got out the belt. His intention was to hit her on the buttock, but she turned to the side and hit her leg," according to the report.
The hit left a bruise and the girl told a counsellor at school about the incident. It was later reported to police.
Father wins appeal of sentence
The daughter told police she didn't think of it as an assault, but a provincial judge convicted the father in a Salmon Arm court, calling it "an impulse of anger and frustration."
Though the judge referenced the father's "very good character" and "respect and affection shown to the daughter," the father received six months' probation and a suspended sentence, along with a permanent criminal record.
On Feb. 3, Justice Meiklem overturned the suspended sentence and instead granted a conditional discharge.
- 'Spanking' over nude Snapchat photo leads to assault conviction for parents
- Parents guilty of 'spanking' daughter granted conditional discharge
Meiklem said the provincial judge made an error by not considering fully the impact a permanent criminal record would have on the father's life. The father regularly volunteers in the community and at the school.
The six month probation still stands, but the criminal record will be erased three years after the probation.
Another couple hit daughter with hockey stick
In considering the appeal, the Supreme Court looked at a similar case in Salmon Arm from 2016.
In that case, a Salmon Arm couple was convicted of assault for "spanking" their 14-year-old daughter with a mini hockey stick and a skipping rope after learning she had sent nude photos of herself on Snapchat.
The couple received a conditional discharge with no jail time or criminal record.