A dad has been fined after slapping his teenage daughter in the face in a row over Snapchat.
Gary Finn struck the teenager with the back of his hand after taking her phone from her in a heated exchange at their family home in Bolton in August, a court heard. The 51-year-old, who said his daughter was his 'princess', thought she was mimicking him and posting topless pictures of him onto the social media platform.
The pair began tussling when he asked her how she would like it if he posted similar pictures of her online, the court was told. The pair then had to be split up by Finn's partner who heard the commotion from upstairs.
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His daughter said she had been left feeling 'more scared than usual' after the assault. When Finn was taken into police custody after officers were called to the home in Kearsley, he was said to be 'extremely remorseful' about the 'one-off' incident.
Finn, a recycling company manager who has no previous convictions, was charged with assault by beating. At Wigan Magistrates' Court, he admitted the charge and was fined £748, and told to pay £384 in costs and a victim surcharge.
He was also handed a 12-month restraining order banning him from contacting his now estranged daughter. He has since moved out of the family home and now lives with his sister.
The court was told how the incident happened on August 19 at around 11.30pm. The family were getting ready to go to bed.
Hannah Nicholls, prosecuting, said: "The defendant went into his front room where his daughter was on her phone and watching TV. He went in with his top off and his daughter started to laugh at him and mimic his voice.
"Mr Finn became upset at this and thought his daughter was Snapchatting photos of him topless. He responded to this by saying that he might post embarrassing pictures of his daughter on social media and took hold of her phone.
"The daughter had struggled through lockdown. She then tried to grab her phone back and walk through the door but he then threw his hand back and hit her square in the face.
"This gave her a red bruise on her face and at this point an argument erupted between the two. Finn’s partner came downstairs to intervene.
"The defendant was seen grabbing his daughter with both hands to stop her from hitting him but she then spat on him."
In a statement, the victim said: "I’ve seen him be violent before but this was different - he made me more scared than usual. I feel like I can be angry towards people because of him."
The court heard Finn was taken a to a police station where he was said to be 'deeply remorseful'. He said he was shocked and traumatised by the fact that he was in the station.
In a statement read to the court, Finn apologised and said: "At my age I don’t even know how to use social media. I still thinks of my daughter as my princess and I have many happy memories of her."
His lawyer Samantha Cole told the court: "The incident was just a tussle between them and the assault was a quick instinctive thing. It started as banter with banter and went way too far from that.
"He was a man of good character who never even stepped foot inside a police station before this incident. He is hard-working and is a manager at a recycling firm and earns around £39,000 a year.
"He has moved from the family home but still pays the mortgage. He currently lives with his sister."
She added: ''This is an extremely sad case concerning a family that, in my opinion, should not be put before the criminal justice system. Counselling should be offered.
"Things will improve over time between the parties - they always do."
Sentencing, JPs told Finn: "Any domestic violence is a serious matter but this is a sad one-off family incident."
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