A man has pleaded guilty to assaulting his 12-year-old niece by hitting her with a belt.Michael Deponte, 22, was trying to discipline the child after she said he was dumb, Crown counsel Robert Welling told Magistrates' Court.But Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner warned that's no defence because Deponte is classed as “an outsider” to the victim.Defence lawyer Ken James said Deponte, of Pembroke, needs help for psychological problems following a serious road accident three years ago.Mr Welling said the incident happened in the family's Devonshire home on Sunday, January 30, at 2pm, when Deponte called the child dumb and she responded that he was dumb, and that was why he dropped out of high school.Deponte hit her with a belt three times on her legs and once on the hand, causing bruising.When the child's mother asked why he was hitting her, Deponte swore at her and told her to shut up, adding: “We need to discipline your daughter.”He then fetched a meat cleaver from his room and began chopping the door, saying: “Where's that little girl?”He proceeded to chop doors around the home and then hit the door of the mother's car, said Mr Welling.In court yesterday, Deponte admitted assault, and wilfully damaging a glass computer table and car.Mr James said Deponte had special circumstances because of the road accident, in which he sustained head injuries, adding: “Mr Deponte acknowledges he's a person in need of some assistance.”But as Mr James mentioned that Deponte had been trying to discipline the child, Mr Warner cut in: “He's got no right interfering with a child.“He's an outsider as far as the law is concerned.”Mr James said: “It takes a village to raise a child,” before asking for sentencing to wait until a psychological report and social inquiry report have been compiled.Mr Warner agreed, adjourning the case to Wednesday, August 3.