Community service for father who repeatedly punched son 18 January 2013 Last updated at 13:11 A Londonderry man who repeatedly punched his 12-year-old son on the head has been sentenced to 50 hours community service. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect his son's identity, was arrested after his son reported the assault to his teacher. The court heard that the attack happened in the boy's bedroom last February. District Judge Nigel Broderick said the behaviour was totally inappropriate. The assault started when the defendant shouted at his son for playing on an Xbox instead of doing his homework. A prosecution solicitor at Londonderry Magistrates Court told Mr Broderick that the boy's mother tried unsuccessfully to pull her husband off her son. A defence barrister said the defendant no longer lived in the family home and he accepted that his relationship with his son could be permanently damaged by what his barrister described as this "outrageous behaviour." He said the defendant had written a letter of apology to his son but no reply had been received. He said the assault caused a devastating family fall-out. Imposing the sentence, Mr Broderick said the defendant had admitted to raining down punches on his son's head and body with a closed fist. He said such behaviour against a child was totally inappropriate.