A MAN is facing jail after repeatedly battering his seven-year-old daughter and threatening her with a knife.

The 39-year-old from Ardrossan, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted to assaulting the child on various occasions at an address in the town between December 31, 2016 and April 18, 2018.

He appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week and pled guilty to repeatedly striking and punching her on the head and body over a 16 month period.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the child’s mother and repeatedly hammering a table and bed causing damage.

The court heard that one of the assaults took place on New Year’s Eve, 2017 at the family home.

His daughter was singing Happy New Year and the accused, who was drinking whisky, became aggressive and punched her on the inside thigh “for no reason”.

In another incident in April 2018, the father went into a bedroom where the mother and daughter were in bed and stated he was going to get a knife.

He went to the kitchen, took a stainless steel knife and returned to the bedroom.

The accused stood at the foot of the bed before the partner ordered him to leave the room.

He left and the child had to be consoled by her mum.

The child told a teacher at her school the next day about what had happened and they contacted police and social work.

The accused moved into alternative accommodation in Main Street, Largs soon afterwards.

The court heard that he had no previous convictions but the Sheriff told him ‘all options are open to me' regarding sentencing.

He was bailed and the case was adjourned until July for reports.