Liam Daniel Coutts admits slapping child across face then kicking pregnant partner in stomach

A 20-year-old man who admitted kicking his pregnant partner and damaging a TV has been ordered to complete a community-based order. Liam Daniel Coutts appeared before Rockingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to one count of common assault and one count of criminal damage. Prosecutor Sen. Const. Jessica Anderson told the court that Coutts and his partner were at his brother’s house in Golden Bay about 5.50pm on January 28. Coutts had been assisting with landscaping at the front of the home. After sometime, he went inside to rest and laid on the couch. The victim, who was three months pregnant at the time, was holding their two-year-old and handed the child over to Coutts to settle. While cradling the child on his chest, Coutts became frustrated and slapped the child across the face. As the victim approached Coutts to retrieve the child, he put his leg out and accidentally kicked her in the stomach. He then got up from the couch and punched the TV, damaging the screen. He was arrested and made admissions to the incident. Duty lawyer Justin Geoghegan said this was a serious incident that had “affected the whole family”. “Your Honour, he comes to court as a 20-year-old man with no prior record of offending,” Mr Geoghegan said. “He works full-time and is a volunteer at the Rockingham Fire and Rescue Service and is in respect a person of prior good character. “The offending is out of character for him and we would be seeking a spent conviction.” Mr Geoghegan told the court that Coutts had taken steps to access mental health support and had paid some compensation for the damaged TV. Magistrate Linda Keane said looking after children could be “particularly difficult” but “the last thing you want is your children to grow up in an unhappy or unsafe environment”. “You are still a very young person and you have people who remain very supportive of you,” Ms Keane said. “The community-based order is to support you, not punish you. It will ensure that you stay on the right track.” Coutts received a six-month community based order and was granted a spent conviction. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)