Robbie Harrison, 33, of Pecten Avenue, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court this week to recklessly causing injury after mistreating his intellectually disabled seven-year-old son just before Christmas last year.

His son soiled himself, which triggered an ongoing incident between Harrison and the child.

Magistrate Ian von Einem said Harrison’s behaviour was something no child should have to endure and he expected the impact on the child would be life-long.

He said it was clear a term of imprisonment was well within the sentencing range but he took into account Harrison’s brain injury and drunkenness in imposing a four-month jail sentence which was suspended for 18 months.

Police alleged that Harrison had custody of his son when they went on a family barbecue at Hampton Park about two weeks before Christmas.

During the day Harrison was drinking and verbally abused his son. 

When the child soiled himself, Harrison abused him at a toilet block and other family members stepped in to assist.

Harrison is later alleged to have kicked his son, causing a bruise to his upper thigh.

When they got home, Harrison put his son in a cold shower, grabbed him by the shoulders causing red marks and punched him to the side of the face.

Other people then intervened and a fight broke out which resulted in Harrison suffering bleeding to his mouth.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Paul Harris said that at the time of the offending Harrison was responsible for the child and it was clearly a jailable offence.

A defence solicitor said the boy believed his father had already been jailed for the incident and was no longer seeing Harrison, who he said he missed.