Father in court for bashing daughter, dragging her by her hair

An 18th birthday party turned violent for a Gympie teen when her father laid into her in front of everyone and dragged her 6m across the ground by her hair, screaming abuse. Read the shocking details:

A Gympie father who dragged his teenage daughter by the hair for 6m walked free from Gympie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of breaching a domestic violence order after he dragged his teenage daughter by the hair and hit other members of his family after an 18th birthday party.

The man was attending the neighbour’s party when a witness noticed his daughter slap him.

The man immediately responded by grabbing the child by the hair and dragging her for 6m while she tried to stand upright, the court heard.

He also hit her “very hard” at least three times on the top of her leg, the court heard.

It was heard he shouted “what made you think you could hit me” as the girl began to sob.

More witnesses later heard slapping from a shed in the backyard, before two of his children emerged from the shed.

The man hit the children’s mother in the back of the head, and began shouting profanities before he decided to go home, the court.

“Get your sh-- together and start walking or I will snap your neck,” the man said to his daughter.

Other witnesses reported that they heard screams of “help me” and the man shouting “you stupid sl--,” coming from his house.

Triple 0 was called and police arrived at the house at midnight and questioned the man, who said his daughter was not there.

Police conducted a search and found the girl drunk and in her bed.

The man was arrested and spent three days in custody before being released on bail.

His lawyer told the court the man could have undiagnosed mental health problems and was seeking help.

He was sentenced to nine months jail and immediately released on parole. Convictions were recorded.