An enraged father drove to a beach to confront a teenage girl he thought was bullying his daughter and punched her from behind, court has heard.
A ‘red-faced and angry’ Dean Devonald, 46, ran towards the 15-year-old girl at Aberavon beach, in Port Talbot, Wales, and floored her with the blow before bellowing: ‘Touch my daughter again and I’ll kill you you c***.’
The father-of-two then quickly got into his car and drove away having ‘sought out’ the youngster after believing she had been bullying his daughter.
The brutal attack on May 20 last year was captured by the schoolgirl’s pals and posted on social media platform Snapchat, reported Wales Online.
The girl was left with a bloody nose in the wake of the father’s attack – but she is said to have been battling long-term emotional effects.
Devonald, of Western Avenue, Port Talbot, appeared at Swansea Crown Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Judge Catherine Richards said the father was ‘overwhelmed with rage’ during the ‘astonishing’ incident which has left the girl to feel anxious when she goes outside.
The sentencing hearing was told Devonald had first tried to contact the teen girl’s mother before making the journey to the seafront.
Jon Tarrant, defending, told the court his client was unlikely to repeat his behaviour again with the attack coming as a result of a specific set of circumstances.
Father-of-two Dean Devonald drove to Aberavon beach, in Port Talbot, Wales (pictured) to confront his daughter’s bully where he punched her and left her with a bloody nose
Devonald appeared at Swansea Crown Court (pictured) where he was given a nine month jail term, suspended for 12 months, ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, and to pay £900 in compensation to the girl
‘It doesn’t justify it,’ he said. ‘He feels great remorse and shame about what has occurred. It was a momentary action which he bitterly regrets.’
Judge Richards handed Devonald a nine month jail term, suspended for 12 months, and said she accepted that his remorse was genuine.
She said: ‘It was not a prolonged incident but it was astonishing. She was 15 years of age and you were 45.
‘It appears the person you were in those moments does not reflect your character as a whole.’
Devonald was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, and to pay £900 in compensation to the girl.
He was also given a one year restraining order that stops him from approaching the victim.
