Man arrested for slapping daughter

by **Lou** Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:15 am

A man who was arrested and cautioned for slapping his 13-year-old daughter across the face fears he will no longer be able to work with children.

Jim McCullough, of Manchester, hit Jess after she banged a neighbour's window at midnight, and she called the police.

He has now quit the football coaching and community work he has done for over 15 years, as the caution could stop him working with vulnerable children.

Mr McCullough said he had never slapped Jess before. She has apologised.

The father-of-four said he felt striking Jess was the only way to get her to understand what she had done.

The single parent, from Wythenshawe, said: "I wish I had asked for my day in court rather than accepted a police caution.

"That way I could have explained that I was trying to do what was right for my daughter.

"Jess isn't bad, but some of the 13-year-olds who live here do use drugs and drink and I don't want that path for her."

Mr McCullough said he had had no trouble with his other three children Christopher, 22, Nicola, 21, and Joanna, 19.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "When an offence is admitted the offender is always liable to receive a caution.

"Had the offence not been admitted, officers would have pursued the matter with the CPS.

'Wrong message'

"An allegation of domestic violence was made and GMP officers always take these allegations very seriously."

Mr McCullough previously had a clean criminal record and recently qualified as a security guard, but said his work prospects had been ruined.

Jess, a year nine pupil at Parklands High School in Wythenshawe, said she was sorry for what had happened.

She said: "I did deserve the slapping because of the things I'd been doing.

"I was expecting my dad to come home from the police station and for everything to be the same as before."

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) policy manager Lucy Thorpe said: "All parents can sometimes be pushed to the limit by teenagers who are looking to see how far they can go but smacking won't solve the problem.

"It simply tells your child that violence is acceptable and gives the message that its all right for them to hit other people."

As far as I'm concerned its tough luck if he cant coach anymore, what would he do if one of the kids he coaches overstepped the mark, hit them as well? There is no excuse whatsoever for hitting a child no matter how tempting it might be.

by **HiJo** Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:38 am

I've never hit any of my kids but one of my boys came close to it more than once. Some of them in that age group really take it as far as they can and when you're faced with someone giving it "I'll do what I want, what are you going to do about it?" the urge to slap the smug grin right off his face is sometimes overwhelming. And there were two of us backing each other up, god knows how it is for a single parent faced with a stroppy teen. :wall:

Thankfully he grew out of it before I gave in and kicked his insolent a*** up and down the street. Twisted Evil

As for the girl in the original post, the fact that the little madam actually called the police says everything you need to know about her. When you hear so much about kids being abused, and this one so obviously isn't. Spoiled brat. Evil or Very Mad

by **Lou** Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:48 am

I know what you mean, my kids drive me to distraction sometimes, I have visions of them growing up like Lucifer Laughing

But at the end of the day when you're an adult you have to find more reasonable ways around the situation.

As for this madam, she should be made to work with abused kids for a month or so, then she might realise how lucky she is.

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Man arrested for slapping daughter

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