A MAN who choked his young son during a "one-off" incident has avoided a conviction.
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The 38-year-old appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court last week where he pleaded guilty to the assault.
The court heard on September 17 last year, the man was at home with his three young children.
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One of the boys called the other child a pervert and the man asked the boy how he had learnt the word.
When the child did not answer, the man grabbed the boy by the neck and squeezed for about 10 seconds.
The man eventually let go of the child but continued to yell at him.
The court heard the children's mother came the next day to pick them up. The boy reported the incident to his mother and the woman went to the police station to report the assault.
The children made a statement to police on September 20.
The man was arrested a few days later. He told police he grabbed the boy by the shoulder rather than the neck.
The court heard the man had no prior criminal history.
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Defence lawyer Deniz Yildirim told the court the man had not seen his children face-to-face since the incident, despite having dual custody.
Mr Yildirim said the man still denied choking the boy but wanted to plead guilty to show his remorse for the incident.
The defence lawyer said the man had no prior criminal history so a good behaviour bond was an appropriate sentence.
Magistrate Russell Kelly said he accepted the man's plea and the fact it was a "one-off".
Mr Kelly also noted the consequence of not being able to see his children would be "pretty tough" for the man.
The 38-year-old was given a six-month good behaviour bond without conviction.
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