'Off his face' dad banged toddler's head

A FATHER "off his face" on drugs repeatedly bashed his toddler son's head against a wooden bunk bed after the infant broke a model car, a court has heard.

Carmyne Destratis, aged two, suffered serious bruising to his head after Ugo Giovanni Destratis, 44, pinned him down, grabbed his head and banged it against the bed three or four times at the boy's Reservoir home in Melbourne's north.

Destratis had used heroin, consumed 30 prescription drugs in two days and drunk two beers before the assault on November 6, 2007, the Victorian County Court heard today.

Carmyne's mother Ashley Merrick tried in vain to get Destratis off her son, but he was too strong.

Forensic paediatrician Dr John Harry noted extensive bruising to Carmyne's cheek, temple and scalp which was "almost certainly deliberately inflicted''.

Judge Frances Hogan said people like Destratis should not be in charge of children.

"He is absolutely off his face on so many Benzodiazepines, heroin and a couple of beers thrown in for good measure,'' she said.

"A message needs to go out to the community that people who are so grossly irresponsible that they use drugs in this fashion, should not be in charge of children, and if they do and they injure them, that they will be met with condign punishment.''

Judge Hogan rejected suggestions by Destratis' lawyer that a head injury may have contributed to his actions.

"There is no getting away from the fact that he had so many drugs. That is the real cause,'' she said.

Destratis pleaded guilty to one count of recklessly causing serious injury.

In a phone conversation from his prison cell, recorded by police, Destratis told Ms Merrick, that he was "a little bit out of control''.

"Maybe I went a bit too far, I don't know,'' he said.

"It's hard to say.''

Destratis' lawyer Christopher Pearson admitted his client, a father of six, had a drug problem.

He said Destratis took the Benzodiazepines before the assault because he had a severe headache.

Prosecutor Michael Hennessy said Carmyne suffered post traumatic stress disorder.

He called for a prison sentence of between three and five years.

"It is a tragic case,'' he said.

"It is one, your honour, that involves a defenceless victim.''

Destratis is expected to be sentenced on Friday.