Joshua Raymond Jackson sentenced for assaulting Paralowie R-12 principal Peter McKay in school foyer

A principal became so nervous and anxious he had to retire after being slapped by an “agitated” parent – who has been sentenced in court.

A father of three will serve four months in home detention for hitting a principal in a school foyer, forcing him into early retirement, a court has heard.

Joshua Raymond Jackson, 34, of Burton, appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court this week charged with aggravated assault over the incident on March 18 last year.

He pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to striking Paralowie R-12 School principal Peter McKay.

In the latest hearing, the court heard Jackson drove to the school and was “agitated and upset” after hearing reports of an incident between his son and a member of staff.

Joshua Raymond Jackson believed his son had been assaulted at the school. Picture: Josh Jackson Facebook

He entered the foyer and, when Mr McKay walked towards him, Jackson reportedly said “you like hitting kids”.

He then slapped the principal with an open hand, causing him to fall to the ground.

Jackson would later learn he had received “insufficient and inaccurate” information and Mr McKay was not involved in the alleged incident with his son.

In his victim impact statement, Mr McKay told the court the incident had made him anxious, nervous and unable to sleep properly for weeks.

“As I approached the person they hit me,” Mr McKay said.

The principal said he had started avoiding meeting people in person, preferring phone calls, and the most important aspect of his role was “compromised”.

“I changed the way I operated,” he said. “I was more hesitant, less confident. I feel there’s a level of hesitation that was not there before the assault.”

Police prosecutor Darrell Staight told the court the assault had contributed to Mr McKay’s decision to retire at the end of the year.

Paralowie R-12 principal Peter McKay. Picture: Supplied

Mr Staight said the principal had “graciously” accepted a written apology from Jackson and did not hold “ongoing animosity”.

Ben Thilthorpe, for Jackson, said his client was “willing to change” following his “unjustifiable acts”.

“He wants to lead by example,” Mr Thilthorpe said. “He will fully embrace counselling. It’s certainly a step in the right direction.”

Magistrate Ben Sale said Jackson came from a “difficult background” and was “largely your own parent growing up”, with his mother battling alcohol and mental illness issues.

However, he said Jackson needed to control his emotions.

He sentenced Jackson to four months and one week in prison, to be served under home detention.

Jackson will also have to pay $930 in court costs and other fees.

Earlier this month, The Advertiser reported more than 40 per cent of principals had been assaulted at work by either a student or parents last year.