38-year-old Dean Clack, who ‘recklessly’ put pressure on a toddler’s neck, causing a haemorrhage in her eye, has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
Clack, of Avenue Road in Freshwater, learnt his fate when he appeared for sentencing at the Isle of Wight Crown Court earlier today (Tuesday), having previously admitted a single count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
It relates to an incident in May 2023 in which a toddler was hospitalised after an incident at home, which led Police to question Clack over his involvement.
Dean Clack originally denied causing assault/ill-treatment/neglect/abandonment of child/young person to cause unnecessary suffering/injury, and a separate charge of wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, with a trial date set for 4th August. However, he changed his plea to guilty for the lesser offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the first day of the trial.
The court heard how, on the evening of 21st May 2023, the young child was in the care of Clack at an address in Newport. He had been tasked with settling the girl and putting her to bed.
Phone calls exchanged between Clack and the mother of the child discussed the best way to get the child to sleep, with Clack encouraged to give the child a bottle. The mother returned home at around 20:45, with Clack leaving the address shortly after.
When she went to check on her daughter shortly after Clack had left the property, she immediately noticed that the child was shivering, had marks on their neck and bruises on their face. The mother attempted to contact Clack by phone, calling him as many as 20 times.
Police and paramedics were called to the scene, and the child was taken to St Mary’s Hospital by ambulance. The child was swiftly admitted to the children’s ward, where it was later discovered they had suffered serious injuries which included a left-sided haemorrhage in the eye.
Specialist doctors examined the injuries sustained, deeming them most likely ‘non accidental’ and that the force used was ‘moderate’.
When he changed his plea back in August 2025, Clack admitted that he had tried to give the child a bottle in an attempt to settle them. He said that he never intended to hurt or abuse the child, but that he may have ‘recklessly’ put pressure on their neck when attempting to feed them.
In a victim impact statement, the child’s mother said that the youngster struggled to sleep in the months following the incident and that she felt that Clack had violated her trust.
Defending, Jonathan Underhill told the court that his client deserved credit for his timely plea of guilt and that although the child was vulnerable, the assault itself was relatively ‘short-lived’.
In passing sentence, Judge David Melville KC told Clack that it was plain he lost control of his actions and acted in an ‘appalling’ way. Judge Melville went on to say the mother of the child has had an ‘appalling time since the incident’.
Clack was handed a 20-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years. He was also made subject to a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work with 20 rehabilitation days attached.
A notorious stoner in freshwater,should have been put away,bet the coward hides now as all of freshwater will know what he did,utter lowlife.
It’s all bs the mother is a dirty vile woman who leaves her children all dirty and not shower or bath them for weeks on end this is so wrong funny how the women always win
It can’t be bs, can it…lack of a shower does not cause haemorrhaging of the eye in the mother’s absence. The child DID NOT win, and that’s what this case is about.
Well known in the west wight as adrunk and drug user.
Maybe they should of charged him with drug offences at least he would be locked up now.
But as baby beater.. he walks. Hope the locals make him feel welcome.
What? Are you for real? The child had visible injuries. What has that got to do with not having a bath? Sounds very much to me that you are a misguided misogynistic man. It has nothing to do with winning or losing.
How can you give him credit for pleading guilty this bloke is pure scum
Why was this evil man not put in prison? We must protect innocent children at all costs. Where is the justice??
“The assault was relatively short-lived”.
What kind of defence is that? Firstly, it can take as little as 15-20 seconds of pressure on the neck to cause death or serious brain damage to a baby; second, the baby suffered serious injuries and psychological/ emotional harm; third, how does Mr Underhill know it was a short-lived attack? The only person who actually knows how sustained the attack was, was the scum who carried it out.
How ANYONE can look at a crying baby and want to hurt them instead of try to settle them, is just horrific- and this creature allegedly has a dependent!
Should have been locked up and never been allowed around children again.
Why the endless references to “them” when referring to the child rather than continuing to use “her” that was indicated in the very first sentence. It doesn’t read right and if that was an attempt at protecting the childs identity, it was woeful.
good photo
Is this some kind of a sick joke??!! Beyond Belief!!
Can only be described in one word,NONCE!!