WARNING: Some details in this report are distressing

A father-of-four beat his daughter with a belt buckle twice in two days after learning she had met a boy in town.

The 49-year-old south Reading man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was spared jail despite the “appalling” injuries his child suffered.

A judge told the father that he should be “ashamed” of himself after Reading Crown Court heard of his brutal lashings.

The incidents occurred in October 2021 when the man learned his daughter had been lying about her whereabouts.

She told her parents she had gone to town to return some clothes but had actually met a boy from her school.

When the man found out about this, he took a belt and wrapped it around his fist, using the metal belt buckle to hit the girl.

She tried to move away but the man kept hitting her while she was on the floor.

The father beat his daughter again two days later after finding content on her phone that upset him.

Reading Crown Court heard how he hit her with the belt up to ten times and slapped her in the face.

Her brother recorded the audio of the assault from upstairs. Prosecutor Matthew Knight said the girl could be heard screaming and begging her father to stop beating her.

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Police were called days later when the girl’s mother noticed a lump on her forehead and a mark above her left eye.

Danielle Buckett, defending, said the man’s actions were an “emotional response” to finding out about his daughter’s meetings with a boy.

The court heard how the man took his daughter’s associations with men “seriously” “because of his faith.”

The man’s pastor, who wrote a character reference for the defendant, said he was a “caring father who loves his children.”

Ms Buckett added: “He has reflected upon his actions and accepts he was totally wrong.”

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Her Honour Judge Campbell, sentencing, said the photos of the victim showed her “appalling” injuries.

“You should be ashamed of yourself regardless of your reasons”, the judge said.

The man was handed a 24-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and an order to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

He was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Monday, May 23.