a two-year-old girl so hard he bruised her buttocks.

David Aitken of Ridgeway Road, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to the offence that occurred on February 9, 1994.

Prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy said Police received an anonymous phone call on February 9.

The caller complained there was a child who was living in Warwick that had marks of abuse on its body.

Police investigated the complaint the next morning. The caller also alerted Family Services personnel.

Insp. Duffy said Police went to the child's home where they met the child's mother who was arrested after the young girl was examined at the hospital.

She was fined $300 in an earlier Magistrates' Court appearance.

Aitken was arrested on February 11 and admitted spanking the child hitting her on the mouth and on her backside.

The episode caused bruises to her buttocks.

Insp. Duffy said the child's mother had given Aitken permission to discipline her daughter.

Lawyer Mr. Tim Marshall said his client admitted spanking the child and caused the bruising but he said the incident was unique. He said Aitken had a clean record and had learned from his mistake.

"People in positions of parental responsibility will make mistakes,'' he said. "That does not mean they cannot go on to be good parents.'' Magistrate the Wor. Cheryl Ann Mapp said she was concerned that there was little help available for people who were convicted of assaults generally.

"This happens far too frequently,'' she said. "This is the second case this month. I am glad to see the child is not in the custody of the people who did this to her.'' She then fined Aitken $300 and urged him to seek counselling on his own.