Dean Devonald, 45, drove to Aberavon beach in Wales and and punched a 15-year-old girl in the face whom he believed to have been bullying his daughter, a court heard
A 15-year-old girl was punched to the ground at a beach in a moment of rage by a man saying “touch my daughter again and I’ll kill you”.
The violent incident unfolded at Aberavon beach in Wales, when Dean Devonald drove to the seafront and targeted one of a group of girls he believed had been bullying his daughter.
Footage played to Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday showed Devonald hit the girl from behind, connecting with her left cheek and causing her nose to bleed in the attack on May 20 last year.
Videos recorded by one of the victim’s friends on social media app Snapchat, which was shared with police and the Crown Prosecution Service, showed the victim’s friends shocked as the defendant threatened: “Touch my daughter again and I’ll kill you, you c***.”
Father-of-two Devonald quickly left the scene in his car but was later arrested on May 27 by South Wales Police officers. He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on October 8.
Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told the court the defendant initially denied the charge but later pleaded guilty at a plea and trial preparation hearing. Mr Pulling explained how Devonald had attempted to make contact with the victim’s mum prior to the incident before deciding to head to the seafront when he “sought out” the girl, reported WalesOnline.
Mr Pulling told of how the defendant ran towards the girl before making such strong contact with her that it forced her to the floor. In a statement the girl told the court Devonald was “red-faced and angry.” She said she was “upset and distressed” about the assault and the disruption it had caused to her life. She added it had caused her to become anxious when outside.
Jon Tarrant, for Devonald, told the court his client had no previous convictions and his actions were in reaction to a specific set of circumstances unlikely to happen again. He said: “It doesn’t justify it. He feels great remorse and shame about what has occurred. It was a momentary action which he bitterly regrets.”
Sentencing Devonald to nine months custody suspended for 12 months, Judge Catherine Richards said: “You sought her out and, overwhelmed with rage, you hit her. It was not a prolonged incident but it was astonishing. She was 15 years of age and you were 45. I accept the remorse and shame you showed in the pre-sentence report is genuine. It appears the person you were in those moments does not reflect your character as a whole.”
Devonald, of Western Avenue, Port Talbot was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, pay £900 in compensation to his victim to be paid at £40 per month and was also made the subject of a restraining order preventing him from approaching the girl in any way for a year.
