Hornsby father assaulted adopted daughter at Pymble Train Station

A father violently lashed out on his adopted young daughter, punching her and slamming her against a wall at a North Shore train station.

The father outside Hornsby Local Court.

A 12-year-old adopted daughter was left in tears after her father struck her and pinned her against a wall at a train station for using a bubbler.

The Hornsby father, 53, who cannot be identified to protect the victim’s identity, pleaded guilty to assault (domestic) and faced Hornsby Local Court on June 20.

Police facts state the young girl “absconded from school”, and was later found in Chatswood by the father who accompanied her to Pymble Train Station at about 7pm on June 4.

The father was drinking water from a bubbler at the station when the young girl attempted to operate another bubbler, disrupting the flow and aggravating the father.

The father lashed out and punched the child to her stomach, according to police facts.

The girl staggered back toward the train tracks from the force of the hit, as captured on CCTV.

The father then slammed the victim against the wall of the station, before throwing her backpack in the air with such force that train staff were alerted.

Pymble Train Station, where the assault occurred.

Although the child suffered no major injuries, she began crying and was seen avoiding the man and “looking fearful” on CCTV, according to police facts.

Train staff reported the matter to Police and a NSW Police media appeal was released.

The father handed himself in on April 12, a day after the media release was issued.

The 53-year-old told police he was under a lot of stress at the time and initially said he had only “pushed” the girl, before later admitting to striking her, according to police facts.

“Police assert the assault exceeded lawful chastisement and displayed a high degree of recklessness as the victim could have fallen onto train tracks,” police facts state.

Magistrate Alexander Mijovich said no level of stress could excuse the assault.

“To use the back of the hand to that part of the body can never be considered discipline,” Mr Mijovich said.

Hornsby Local Court.

The court heard the father had no criminal history and Mr Mijovich said the father’s good character “spoke for itself”.

“There has to be a message to the community that you cannot respond in this fashion,” he said.

Mr Mijovich said he “could not overlook” the severity of the incident and a conviction was warranted, to deter parents from using excessive physical punishment.

“I have to consider a jail term – but I’m stepping away from that,” he said.

The court heard the father had taken steps to work on anger management and was seeing a counsellor.

The father was convicted and served a 12 month community corrections order and was placed on an apprehended domestic violence order to protect the child.

The father has since appealed the decision and will face a District Court in August.