A 40-year-old Dunedin woman slapped, punched and kicked her 6-year-old daughter in the head because the girl had cut her clothes, the Dunedin District Court heard yesterday.
The woman, whose name is suppressed, appeared before Judge Kevin Phillips and admitted a charge of injuring with intent, in relation to an incident at her home on January 16.
Judge Phillips said although the woman had no previous convictions, a fulltime custodial sentence was ''more than likely''.
He granted her bail by a ''slim margin'' on the basis she might receive a community-based sentence.
The woman initially denied the offending but yesterday changed her not-guilty plea.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ross Hutton said the woman, at the time of the offending, lived with her husband and two children, aged 1 and 6.
The 6-year-old had dressed herself for a school holiday programme but the defendant was unhappy with the choice of outfit, Sgt Hutton said.
''She required her to get changed and discovered the victim had made a cut on her top.
''The defendant slapped her daughter across the face then picked her up and threw her to the ground before unleashing several punches and kicks to the victim's head,'' he said.
''A number of blows struck the victim in the face.''
The girl had bruises and red marks around both eyes and above her left eye.
She told a social worker she did not want her mother to visit her, Sgt Hutton said.
The woman told police she lost her temper and struck out at her daughter because the girl had cut her clothes.
The woman was convicted and remanded for sentencing on May 9.
Judge Phillips called for an updated victim impact statement, and a pre-sentence report addressing the woman's mental state was also ordered.
