The man in his 30s did not apply for bail in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court and he was remanded in custody until next month.

Police allege the boy did not wash the dishes properly in February, his step-father became angry, swore at the boy and punched him to the head seven times causing bleeding.

The victim’s mother gave her son ice to put on his head.

Last Sunday the boy took chips from a cupboard and ate them without asking permission.

The step-father got angry, went to the boy’s bedroom and kicked him to the stomach.

He then picked up a metal pole and hit child to lower leg and lower left arm about 10 times.

He also hit the boy to the upper thigh, causing significant pain and prompted his mother to tell her partner to stop.

The step-father also hit the victim to the fingers causing bleeding.

All the toys were taken out of the boy’s room and he was told to stand in the corner near the front door for three hours with his hands raised above his head.

The step-father also grabbed the boy’s head and pushed it into a wall.

Later he was made to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen by himself.

On Monday the victim helped his mother makes school lunches for he and his siblings.

The step-father took lunch out of the boy’s lunch box and told him he was not having anything to eat. 

The boy went to school without food.

The step-father also told the victim he would have no teeth left by the time he was 16 years old.

The victim disclosed to a teacher that he had been hit with a pole and revealed large bruising covering his upper left thigh.

That led to police involvement.

During an interview, the step-father made admissions to “going a bit overboard” and said he was at a loss as to how to appropriately discipline the boy.