Danuska Pullia, a 47-year-old teaching assistant, has been sentenced to four years in prison for child cruelty after admitting to spitting in the face of a special needs pupil and pinching another child's nose. The incidents occurred at a school in Sittingbourne, Kent, between September 2021 and July 2023.
Key Takeaways
A teaching assistant was sentenced to four years in prison for child cruelty after admitting to spitting in a special needs pupil's face and pinching another child's nose. Danuska Pullia, 47, was convicted on four counts of child cruelty following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
- Teaching assistant Danuska Pullia sentenced to four years for child cruelty
- Admitted spitting in a special needs pupil's face and pinching another child's nose
- Convicted on four counts of child cruelty after a trial at Maidstone Crown Court
- Kent Police investigated complaints from parents and teachers between September 2021 and July 2023
Pullia was convicted on four counts of child cruelty following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court. According to Daily Mail, parents and other teachers had complained about her hitting, pinching, and spitting at pupils. Kent Police launched an investigation based on these complaints.
The court heard that Pullia's actions left her victims, described as 'very vulnerable' with complex needs, in pain with cuts, red marks, and bruises. Some children would flinch when she approached them. According to BBC, Pullia denied most of the allegations but admitted to spitting at a child who had spat at her and pinching another pupil's nose to remove food from their mouth.
During an interview with Kent Police, Pullia claimed she could not remember why she spat in the child's face. She also stated that she did not pinch the other child's nose but held it to take the food out of their mouth. According to Sky News, Pullia said she had no training to use such tactics.
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