still NO!
If the toe rag was bully, then deal with it in a way other than battering him.......2 wrongs do not make a right!

my daughter was bullied and assaulted not long after her mother died......as you can imagine, as a recently widowed man I was quite happy to lash out and "explode"........but for the sake of my daughter, I didn't........and I believe 13 years later she is a better person because I didn't "react" and so am I!

I’d have firstly spoken to his parents. If it continued I’d have battered his Dad. If it continued still I’d batter the lad.

It appears to be a preconceived Ben Flower attack off the pitch on a child.

have to say he is lucky to escape prison

he has a previous charge too for battery

the boy could have banged his head on on the floor and died

I don't think you can condone this.

If there was a clear and present danger to his son, then fair enough I think any adult would be free to intervene on a basis of protection.

However, an up front assault when his son is not in danger is just wrong. There is a series of escalation that this should have gone through. With family, school authorities etc and because he has jumped straight to the last resort then I can't see how any right minded individual can justify it.

If there was bullying yes it is wrong but there is so much that could have been done.