Police officer who assaulted his crying five-week-old baby sentenced

Nickolas Wayne Peake, a 30-year-old police officer, has been sentenced to a 10-month community-based order after pleading guilty to assaulting his five-week-old baby daughter in Perth. According to prosecutors, the incident occurred at the family's home in Stratton last month, when Peake picked up his crying infant by her sleep-sack and shook her three times, shouting "shut the f*** up." His wife immediately intervened and took the baby from him. Peake claimed he had no memory of the incident, stating it was "a blur."

Magistrate Paul Lyons emphasized that Peake's actions were isolated and out of character, but acknowledged the great risks they posed to the vulnerable baby. He noted that the defendant's experience of fatherhood was not unique, but stressed that physical violence of this kind is utterly unacceptable and must be deterred. Despite Peake's stressful situation as a new parent, the magistrate said his experience was common, and urged him to control himself and deal with the stresses of parenthood.

Peake's wife had endured a complicated birth with her daughter, experiencing a 40-hour labor and blood loss. The magistrate acknowledged Peake's efforts to protect his baby by taking her to the hospital and being open with authorities. He dismissed Peake's application for a spent conviction to mitigate the impact on his employment prospects, stating that future employment would likely be difficult due to the significant media coverage.