A Christian father-of-three beat-up his eldest daughter when she finally came out to him as gay, twelve months into her new relationship.
Weuber Santana, 39, struck 19 year-old Tamirys Benicio around the head and body after she finally found the nerve to reveal her sexuality.
“Yours is a Christian household and you seem to hold fairly fundamental views and seem to have found it difficult to accept your daughter is gay,” Judge Jeremy Donne QC told him.
“When she plucked up the courage to tell you, you reacted badly and told her she had made the wrong choice and she would have to do what you wanted.”
Santana, of Sherwood Gardens, South Bermondsey pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm to his daughter, the eldest of three girls, at the family home on August 25.
Yesterday the first-time offender received ten months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and was ordered to pay £500 costs.
Prosecutor Miss Carina Suarez told Inner London Crown Court Santana was driving Tamirys home from work.
“She had come out to her mother a week prior and had been in a relationship with a woman for a year.”
Her father ominously said: “I know you have something to tell me.”
Tamirys unburdened her secret and Santana responded with rage.
“He became angry and pulled out a flick-knife and threatened to kill her, saying: ’No-one would know,’ and she said: ‘Do it.’
“Once they got home she locked herself in the toilet and he tried to open the door and during the struggle she cut her finger.
“He seemed to calm down and asked her to join him in his bedroom, but once inside he put his foot to the door and asked her if this was her final choice.
“He said: ‘No. I can’t allow you to live this way’ and became angrier.
“He pushed her in the face with his hand and punched her to her side and asked her to kneel on the floor and took a belt out.
“He left the belt to the side and repeatedly punched her to her face and body.”
Tamirys suffered bruising to her eye, forearm, both arms, left leg and under her nose, plus a welt to her temple.
“He was talking about the bible and that being gay was wrong and that she had left a gap for the devil to come into her life.”
The incident lasted from 9pm into the early hours and Tamirys reported her father to the police after a conversation with concerned work colleagues.
Santana was arrested and questioned. “He said his daughter liked a girl and he put his belt on the counter top so she would tell him.
“He denied assaulting her, saying she got the injuries from trampolining and after the conversation said they prayed together.”
In her victim impact statement Tamirys said of her dad: “Now I don’t feel safe in a room with him,” adding she would burst into tears at work because of the pressure she was under.
She has now moved out of the family home.
“The prosecution allege this was aggravated and I accept that you did demonstrate hostility towards your daughter based on her sexual orientation,” Judge Donne told Santana.
“She had started a relationship with a member of the same sex and not told you because she was rightly fearful of your reaction.
“You reacted to the news that you felt was unacceptable and used either a clenched fist or open hand in a slapping gesture.
“Your daughter says in later years you have become controlling, but has expressed a wish to resume contact with you.
“Speaking as a father of two daughters myself fathers should show compassion and understanding to their daughters and not be controlling.
“She is now forging a new life, independent, away from home. I hope there is resolution here and the family can all put this behind them.”
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