Pubdate: Tue, 28 Jul 2009
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Page: 3
Copyright: 2009 The Age Company Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5
Author: Adrian Lowe

DRUGS, ABUSE, CHILDREN DON'T MIX: JUDGE

A VICTORIAN County Court judge has said drug addicts who abuse their
children should lose care of them.

After hearing a plea of guilty from a father who banged his
two-year-old son's head against a wooden paling, Judge Frances Hogan
yesterday said such "grossly irresponsible" people would be punished.

"A message has to go out to the community that people who are so
grossly irresponsible that they use drugs in this fashion, that they
should not be in charge of children -- and if they do and they injure
them, they will meet condign punishment," Judge Hogan said.

Ugo Giovanni Destratis, 44, of Reservoir, pinned his son down on a
bunk bed before banging the boy's head into the wooden paling three or
four times because the boy had broken a model car, the court heard.

The boy suffered severe bruising to his face as a result of the
assault but was now "progressing", prosecutor Michael Hennessy said.

Destratis pleaded guilty to one count of recklessly causing injury to
his son at his Reservoir home on Melbourne Cup Day two years ago.

Although Destratis had told police that the boy's injuries were from a
car accident, he told his partner on the phone that he was "a little
bit out of control".

"Maybe, I went a bit too far," he said. "That's sick what I
did."

Christopher Pearson, for Destratis, said his client had previously
suffered head injuries and could not remember much of the assault, but
did remember getting angry with the boy and giving him two smacks on
the back.

Mr Pearson said Destratis had taken 12 prescription medication tablets
on the day of the assault as well as downing two stubbies and could
not remember much else of what he did that day.

Judge Hogan replied: "But he doesn't remember anything; he's
absolutely off his face on diazepam and heroin and a couple of beers
thrown in for good measure. There's no getting away from the fact he
had so many drugs. That's the real cause."

The boy's mother was a heroin user and Destratis also had a history of
drug use, Mr Pearson said.

Mr Hennessy said the Crown wanted a maximum sentence of between three
to five years' jail with a minimum of two to three years. Destratis
has been in custody since the assault.

Judge Hogan is scheduled to sentence Destratis on Friday.
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