A DAD who put his three-month-old baby lay face down in a van on the same seat as an ‘XL bully’ has been spared jail.

Jack Impey also left the baby alone in the vehicle for around 10 minutes.

The 31-year-old appeared before Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to assaulting/ill-treating/neglecting/abandoning a young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving a motor vehicle without a licence, driving while disqualified, using a motor vehicle without insurance, and possessing a controlled drug of class B.

The prosecution told the court how the offences all happened in Warrington on June 25 last year following a ‘domestic incident’ between Impey, of St Anne’s Avenue, Grappenhall, and his former partner, who he shares twins with.

It was heard how his former partner was asleep but was woken up to the babies crying. Here, Impey started being ‘abusive and aggressive’ towards the woman.

She then got one of the babies out of his cot before Impey took him off her.

He then headed to his van and laid the baby face down on the passenger seat of it.

Warrington Magistrates’ Court was told how there was also an ‘XL bully’ on the same passenger seat.

Before driving off with the baby unrestrained, Impey, who was already disqualified from driving, then went back into the house for around 10 minutes, leaving the baby unsupervised in the van.

The woman told officers how there was no air-conditioning on in the van, despite it being a hot day.

Meanwhile a neighbour had called the police to report the ‘ongoing domestic incident’. Impey was then located nearby, with both his baby, who was fortunately unharmed, and the dog in the car.

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Magistrates were told how Impey has four previous convictions for nine offences, including drug and driving related matters.

Defending, Peter Green said: “The defendant will say that the complainant in this case assaulted him and that is why he left the house.

“That is why he took the decision to take one of the twins out in the car.

“He accepts that he left the baby in the car for 10 or 11 mins on its own. But he does not accept that his dog is an XL bully.”

Mr Green said how his client, who owns his own business, has shown genuine remorse and that he is a ‘promising young man with a promising future’.

Magistrates handed Impey a six-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

He must also complete up to 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a Building Better Relationships Programme.

Impey has also been disqualified from driving for a further 48 months.