A 26-year-old man was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment at Nottingham Crown Court in 1993 after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm against his two-year-old stepdaughter.
The court heard that Steven Mannering attacked the child after becoming agitated by the noises she was making and the way she was eating. Mannering delivered repeated physical blows to the toddler’s face, resulting in extensive trauma that required hospital treatment.
Medical examinations conducted at the hospital revealed:
Extensive bruising and swelling across both cheeks and the bridge of the nose
A severely swollen, lacerated lip
Soft tissue swelling behind the head
Distinct bruising to the fingers on both of the child’s hands
Attending medical practitioners recorded that considerable physical force had been applied during the assault. The prosecution stated that the toddler’s mother was terrified of Mannering’s aggression and was unable to intervene directly, fleeing to a neighbour’s property to summon emergency police assistance.
The Crown Court was informed that the assault formed part of a prolonged history of physical abuse directed at the young child. Evidence demonstrated that the toddler had previously sustained a broken arm, a broken nose, bite marks, swelling to the skull, and recurring facial cuts and contusions.
The proceedings also heard evidence regarding Mannering’s broader history of severe domestic violence against his partner. During a separate violent outburst, Mannering subjected the woman to a sustained attack while she was pregnant, punching her repeatedly about the face, applying pressure to her neck until she lost consciousness, and kicking her directly in the stomach while she was carrying his baby.
Mannering entered a formal guilty plea to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
The presiding Crown Court judge condemned the violence inflicted upon an innocent child and the gross breach of domestic trust, sentencing Mannering to an immediate custodial term of 15 months’ imprisonment.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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