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“I love my son more than anything in this world …,” he told the court. “I just want to be with my son.”

Court heard police were called by the mother, who’d noticed a bite mark on her baby’s back. Photos were taken and provided to an investigator who, as it happened, had recently completed a forensics course that included dental identification of bite marks, or odontology.

A doctor from Port Coquitlam, B.C. was contacted and provided with photos of the bite mark as well as a “dental lineup” that included impressions from five different people — including the child’s father, mother and another person who had been in the residence at the time the injury was believed to have been caused.

Jones said the doctor was able to eliminate all but the impression that came from the father. While he could not make a definitive positive match, the doctor said he couldn’t exclude the father as the one who had left the marks.

Court heard that while the bite left bruises, it fortunately didn’t cause a more severe injury.

Defence lawyer Lynda Bordessa told the court her client suffers from both Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder. Born to an alcoholic mother, the man suffered abuse as a child and eventually developed his own addictions issues.

Although court heard he doesn’t remember biting his child — possibly because of intoxication — he accepted responsibility nonetheless.

Also sentenced for assaulting and threatening the baby’s mother, the man expressed a desire through his lawyer to continue the treatment he’s already started so he can eventually reunite with his family.

“I just want to be a family …,” he said. “I am willing to do whatever it takes to fix this.”

In agreeing to impose the suggested sentence, provincial court Judge Carol Snell said it was clear the father was very upset by what he’d done and urged him to follow through on getting the help he needs.

hpolischuk@postmedia.com

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