Rockingham mother avoids jail by the ‘barest of margins’ after assaulting 9-year-old son

A Rockingham magistrate has told a mother who left her nine-year-old son with permanent damage to his mouth after she stood on the back of his head that she has avoided jail by the “barest of margins”. Police prosecutor Naomi Foster told Rockingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday the mother told police she was “trying to give him a kick up the bum” after her son failed to feed the family dog. The mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her son, was handed a nine-month conditionally suspended sentence and a 15-month community-based order. The court was told the mother had left her children with a new babysitter and arrived home from work at 8pm after spending her shift worried, tired and anxious. The scene she returned to was described as chaotic and an argument broke out between her and the victim, which resulted in her pulling him to the floor and standing on the back of his head. The court was told the boy sustained injuries to his mouth and jaw. The mother called a friend, gave the child saltwater to rinse his mouth and took him to Rockingham General Hospital. Magistrate Vivien Edwards said the mother had shown remorse and accepted responsibility for her actions, and had shown in recent years she was trying to get her life back on track. Despite this, Ms Edwards said the court had to demonstrate to the mother and others that taking stress out on a child would result in punishment. “By the barest of margins I have come to the conclusion that I can conditionally suspend the term,” Ms Edwards said. Sergeant Foster told the court the children deserved to feel safe in their own home with their own mother.