Not so long ago we reported on an unusual event where a 63-year-old man punched a 5-day-old baby in the face in Tesco.

Images VIA

At the time he used the excuse that he thought it was a toy. Since then, he has been charged in court for his obscene act where he decided to stick with his story that he thought the baby was a doll. Yeah, that’s still not a good enough excuse mate. And why would you punch a doll anyway?

The court heard how David Hardy came up to the shopping trolley where Elsie Temple was lying in her carry cot while mum Amy Duckers was showing her to her friends.

He punched Elsie, leaving her in tears with a red mark on her face. She was then rushed to hospital and kept in for hours before being given the green light to go home.

Hardy admitted in court to throwing the punch in Manchester earlier this month, but pleaded not guilty to common assault as he said that he thought it was a toy doll and had no intention of hitting a baby. His lawyer, Chris Fallows, had this to say:

This is an extremely unusual case.

This defendant is effectively a family man who has young children in the family and does not behave in a way that is suggested to this allegation.

The crown suggests Mr Hardy deliberately punched a five day old baby to the face in a carry cot in a shopping trolley.

The defendant says he believed – and this belief was prior to the incident – that he thought it was a doll.

He says in his statement that he said this to the young child standing next to the shopping trolley.

It is backed up in the statements of the witnesses that when he realised what he had done he was described as being shocked.

Since then Hardy has been released on bail on the condition that he does not go to the Tesco branch where the incident happened (harsh) and can not have unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18.

I think the lawyer hit the nail on the head when he said that this is a very unusual case. I mean, what the fuck was he playing at? And why did no one ask him this burning hot question – even if he thought it was a toy doll, why would you punch it? I guess it will have to remain a mystery.

To read about the dad who punched his own baby in the face after his girlfriend wouldn’t let him go to the arcade, click HERE.