A FATHER from Atherton, who took the law into his own hands after his daughter was bullied, today told of his disbelief when he was charged with assault .

Philip Smith lost his temper when his 13-year-old daughter came home hysterical, claiming boys from her school had abused and spat at her.

He confronted one boy who, after a clash of heads, was taken to hospital with a fractured nose and a head wound.

But after a court handed him a 180 hour community punishment order, Mr Smith said he felt the sentence was too harsh. He said he lost his temper because his daughter had been subjected to bullying over several years.

Smith, aged 38, of Russell Street, Atherton, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Bolton Crown Court. Sentencing, Judge Derwin Hope said although Smith had acted very recklessly he accepted that he had been provoked over the bullying of his daughter.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said the incident happened when Smith's daughter was returning from dance class and came across several boys she knew from school.

The court was told the boys began teasing her and took her cap, passing it between themselves, before running away. Mark Fireman, on Smith's behalf, said that the girl went home and told her father what had happened. She said she had been spat at by the group.

Smith confronted them and told police they gave him "abuse" and threw a plastic bottle at him.

The 13-year-old boy appeared and Smith grabbed him by the shoulders and said their heads clashed accidentally.

The court heard that Smith's daughter had been bullied at school by both girls and boys and it had reached the stage where she did not want to attend.

The court heard that many references sent in to court described Smith as a gentle family man who had acted completely out of character.

Afterwards Smith said he felt "very hard done to" by the court decision.

He said his daughter had been bullied at school and had even had to change classes. On the night she was abused he wanted to find out what had happened and saw a youth who matched the description his daughter had given him.

Mr Smith said: "I just went over to him and said 'I know who you are and I'll be having a word with your parents'. But then these other lads came back and started mouthing off."

Smith said he then pulled the boy towards him to tell him to shut up, and claims that was when they accidentally clashed heads. He says he did not head-butt the boy and could not believe it when he was arrested days later.

Smith said over the last few months he has been made redundant from his job at an engineering firm, but since the incident his daughter has not been bullied.