A South African man who was pictured throwing his baby off a roof during a protest has walked free from court.

The 38-year-old man, whose name has not been revealed to protect the identity of the child, was charged with attempted murder after throwing his daughter off the top of a shack in an illegal township to stop it being demolished.

He had taken the baby and climbed on top of their home in protest against dozens of shacks at a township in Kwadwesi being lined up for destruction.

A South African man who was pictured throwing his baby off a roof during a protest has walked free from court

Today he received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to child abuse in the New Brighton Magistrate's Court after the state dropped charges of attempted murder.

He was fined 5,000 rand (£264.90) and handed a sentence of one year in jail, suspended for five years.

Footage taken during the protest shows township locals egging the agitated dad on with chants of: 'Throw, throw, throw'.

Images show the police officer on the roof rushing forward to grab the father but not before he threw the baby.

Fortunately, the girl was caught by the policemen standing below, and did not suffer any injuries.

The father was arrested and handcuffed and was officially charged by police with attempted murder.

The drama happened after 90 shacks built illegally at the Joe Slovo township in Kwadwesi were ordered to be demolished.

The South African Police Service had been sent in to ensure the safety of the demolition team as 150 protesters began serious rioting throwing bricks and closing off roads with burning tyres.

As calm was being restored this man climbed onto the roof of his shack with his child and threatened to throw her to her death if the demolishers did not back off and leave his home alone.

The 38-year-old man, who's name has not been revealed to protect the identity of the child, was charged with attempted murder after throwing his daughter off the top of a shack in an illegal township to stop it being demolished

He had taken the baby and climbed on top of their home in protest against dozens of shacks at a township in Kwadwesi, near Port Elizabeth on South Africa 's eastern cape coast being lined up for destruction

When negotiators failed to talk him down a rescue plan was launched by police which ended successfully with the fathers' arrest and the safe recovery of the toddler who was thrown off the shack.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge told local media: 'At about 10.40am a 38-year-old man climbed onto the roof of one of the structures and held a one-year-old girl in his hands.

'This was done to force the team not to demolish the structure.

Today he received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to child abuse in the New Brighton Magistrate's Court after the state dropped charges of attempted murder

He was fined 5,000 rand (£264.90) and handed a sentence of one year in jail, suspended for five years

'Due to the dangerous threat to the safety of the child police set out a plan to rescue the little girl and arrest the male and one of our officers successfully caught the girl as she was flung.

'The 38-year-old father has been charged with the attempted murder of his daughter and the case is being handled by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit'.

Captain Beetge said the baby has been handed back to the 35-year-old mother and their case is being overseen by local social services to ensure the child is in a place of safety.

Images show the police officer on the roof rushing forward to grab the father but not before he threw the baby

The Motherwell Cluster Commander Major General Dawie Rabie praised the police actions.

He said: 'It is shocking that a father would attempt to sacrifice his own child for the sake of delaying the demolishing of an illegal shack structure but thankfully the girl was saved.

'The father will face the full force of the Law for his actions' he said.

The demolition team then moved in and successfully destroyed 90 structures that had been built illegally on unowned land.