Man jailed for child beating

AN East Geelong man who repeatedly hit an eight-year-old boy with a serving spoon leaving welts and multiple bruises on his slight frame will spend 45 days in jail.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday Boden Fry, 26, lost his temper during an argument about the boy’s behaviour at school on Monday afternoon.

Pictures of the boy after the assault show he was left with black, blue and red marks on his ribs, back, buttocks and armpit.

The boy’s mother and Fry were in a relationship before the incident, and the boy consider him his “de facto stepdad”, the court heard.

Police prosecutor Geoff Lamb said Fry used a plastic serving spoon to hit the boy after finding it in a kitchen draw at the East Geelong home.

The court heard Fry recalled hitting the boy with the spoon “three or four” times but in reality it was more than that.

Sen-Constable Lamb said the boy told police Fry had hit him with his hands as well as the spoon.

“This is an unprovoked attack on a child in his care,” Sen-Constable Lamb said.

The boy’s mother was not at home during the assault and the his injuries were discovered when he was getting ready for school the following day.

Fry pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury and assault with a weapon.

He was assessed for a community corrections order but was found unsuitable.

Magistrate John Lesser said there was no alternative but to jail Fry.

“I’m horrified at what you’ve done.,” Mr Lesser said.

“Clearly it’s a matter of punishing you for abhorrent behaviour.”