SINGAPORE: Angered by his infant daughter's crying as he worked at home, a man shone a torchlight into the baby's face, shouted at her, then threw a pillow at her.

When the nine-month-old baby continued crying, the man turned her onto her side and slapped her buttocks nine times.

About five months later, the father, who is now aged 35, abused his daughter again after again becoming angered by her crying.

The man was sentenced to nine months' jail on Tuesday (Aug 18), after he pleaded guilty to two counts of ill-treating a child.

Seven other similar charges were taken into consideration (TIC) for sentencing. These included charges involving another daughter, who is a year older than the victim in the two proceeded charges.

One of these TIC charges involve the man leaving the older girl outside and depriving her of milk.

The father cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the identity of the victim. 

ABUSE CAPTURED ON CAMERA

Some of the abuse was captured by a motion-activated camera in the study, where the baby's cot was located.

On Jul 2, 2024, the man was working in the darkened study about 9pm when his daughter woke and began crying.

Angered by her crying, the man shone a torchlight from his mobile phone into the baby's face, put her on her back and shouted at her to be quiet.

He then struck a pillow in the cot, causing the baby to cry louder, before throwing it at her face.

When the baby continued to cry, he turned her onto her side and slapped her buttocks nine times.

He then shone the torchlight into her face again and, according to court documents, "questioned her".

On Nov 29, 2024, the offender was again working in the study when the baby, who was standing in the cot, began to cry.

At about 9.44pm, angered again by the crying, the man hit the victim's buttocks. He then picked up the victim and threw her onto the cot mattress.

The baby continued crying and used her hand to soothe the pain in her buttock.

The man's then-wife made a police report against him on Dec 30, 2024. She had previously tried on several occasions to verbally dissuade him from hitting the children.

The man's then-wife eventually made a police report on Dec 30, 2024, after trying unsuccessfully to stop him from hitting the children.

They have since divorced.

WORK STRESS, DEPRESSION

The prosecution sought 12 months’ jail, citing the “substantial...