Father, 51, is fined £1,100 and convicted of assault after slapping his daughter, 15, with the back of his hand during row over her uploading images of him onto Snapchat

  • Gary Finn, 51, admitted assault and was fined £1,100 at Wigan Magistrates Court
  • He was also issued with a 12-month restraining order in relation to his daughter
  • His daughter told the court she feels she gets angry at others 'because of him'

By Laurence Dollimore For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A recycling firm boss who slapped his anorexia-suffering daughter across the face for 'posting embarrassing pictures of him on Snapchat' has avoided jail. 

Gary Finn, 51, struck the 15-year-old he called 'his princess' with the back of his hand inside the family home in Kearsley, Greater Manchester, at around 11.30pm on August 19.

Police were called and Finn, a £39,000-a-year manager, was later charged with assault by beating, which carries a maximum six-month jail sentence. 

At Wigan Magistrates' court, Finn admitted assault and was fined £748 and told to pay £384 in costs and a victim surcharge. 

He was also issued with a 12-month restraining order banning him from contacting his now estranged daughter. He has since moved out of the family home and now lives with his sister.

In a statement the daughter said: 'I've seen him be violent before but this was different - he made me more scared than usual. 

'I feel like I can be angry towards people because of him.'

It is thought Finn had asked the teenager how she would like it if he posted similar pictures of her online before the pair began tussling when he grabbed her phone.

Gary Finn (pictured outside Wigan Magistrate's Court), 51, struck the 15-year-old he called 'his princess' with the back of his hand inside the family home in Kearsley, Greater Manchester, at around 11.30pm on August 19

Gary Finn (pictured outside Wigan Magistrate's Court), 51, struck the 15-year-old he called 'his princess' with the back of his hand inside the family home in Kearsley, Greater Manchester, at around 11.30pm on August 19

She tried to grab back the device and storm out of the lounge but they had to be split up by Finn's partner who heard the commotion from upstairs.

Prosecutor Miss Hannah Nicholls said: 'The defendant went into his front room where his 15 year old daughter was on her phone and watching TV. He went in with his top off and his daughter started to laugh at him and mimic his voice.

'Mr Finn became upset at this and thought his daughter was Snapchatting photos of him topless. He responded to this by saying that he might post embarrassing pictures of his daughter on social media and took hold of her phone.

'The daughter had been diagnosed with anorexia during the lockdown and was very conscious of her body. She then tried to grab her phone back and walk through the door but he then threw his hand back and hit her square in the face.

'This gave her a red bruise on her face and at this point an argument erupted between the two. Finn's partner came downstairs to intervene.

'The defendant was seen grabbing his daughter with both hands to stop her from hitting him but she then spat on him.'

The court heard Finn was taken a to a police station where he was said to be 'deeply remorseful.' 

He said he was shocked and traumatised by the fact that he was in the station in the early hours of the morning.

In a statement read to the court Finn apologised and said: 'At my age I don't even know how to use social media. I still think of my daughter as my princess and I have many happy memories of her.'

At Wigan magistrates court, Finn admitted assault and was fined £748 and told to pay £384 in costs and a victim surcharge. He was also issued with a 12 month restraining order banning him from contacting his now estranged daughter

At Wigan magistrates court, Finn admitted assault and was fined £748 and told to pay £384 in costs and a victim surcharge. He was also issued with a 12 month restraining order banning him from contacting his now estranged daughter

In mitigation his lawyer Samantha Cole said Finn had been under strain due to his daughter's anorexia diagnosis. At the height of her illness the teenager was admitted to hospital and he and the girl's mother went to visit her every day. 

However, under the strain of his daughters illness and self-harming they separated.

Miss Cole said: 'The incident was just a tussle between them and the assault was a quick instinctive thing. It started as banter with banter and went way too far from that.

'He was a man of good character who never even stepped foot inside a police station before this incident. He is hard working and is a manager at a recycling firm and earns around £39,000 a year.

'He has moved from the family home but still pays the mortgage. He currently lives with his sister.'

She added: 'This is an extremely sad case concerning a family that, in my opinion, should not be put before the criminal justice system. Counselling should be offered. Things will improve over time between the parties - they always do.'

Sentencing JPs told Finn: 'Any domestic violence is a serious matter but this is a sad one off family incident.'

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