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POLICE ARE REVIEWING A CASE AFTER A MAN WHO REPEATEDLY HIT A DAD AS HE HELD HIS THREE-MONTH-OLD BABY WAS ASKED TO WRITE A LETTER OF APOLOGY AS PART OF A CONDITIONAL CAUTION 14:14, 03 Jun
2025 The grim moment a dad was repeatedly hit while he held his three-month-old baby in his arms was caught in footage. Police are now reviewing the case after the attacker was told to write
a letter of apology. Zaid Smith said he was subjected to an “unprovoked” assault after he called at a house in Withington, Greater Manchester, on May 31 to take his child out for a walk.
Zaid, 22, could be seen cradling the tot as blows rained down on his head. Police in Manchester have said the handling of the case will now be reviewed after the family of the child were
told the attacker had been released and his "punishment" was to write letters of apology to the victim and the child's mother - as he had no previous convictions. Greater
Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed on June 2 the matter was being “reviewed” by a senior officer. GMP also said the family had been told the attacker had been given a conditional caution,
which included writing letters of apology, the Manchester Evening News said. The mum of the tot, 22-year-old Morgan Millward, said Zaid was “taking blows to the head” and was left with marks
on the back of his neck and a lump on his head. “Baby's dad has come to collect the baby and then this young man has come on to the street, approached him, and totally unprovoked -
they had no connection to each other - has started assaulting him in the head,” she said. "He could not protect himself, as you can see in the video, because he is trying to protect the
baby.” Morgan added that her child Ariella has since been admitted to hospital as she has been unwell since the incident. “She has been irritable and crying a lot,” she said. Article
continues below “We are awaiting results of tests. She was shaken quite a bit by what happened. She went to hospital yesterday." The incident ended when a male relative of Ariella
intervened, Morgan said, saying “everyone was completely shocked”. “The lad who made the assault was held by a neighbour until police arrived,” she said. “The police arrested him, but we are
not happy with the outcome… “They told us it was his first offence he was not charged but got a bit of a slap on the wrist. All he has to do is write a letter of apology to the baby's
father and to me - and he has been released." Morgan, a third year student at the University of Law in Manchester, said her family is upset by what happened and think the situation
could have ended up far worse. The fact Ziad’s attacker was a first time offender does not matter because her baby was “just centimetres away from the punches” She added: "If he had hit
her God knows what could have happened.” Morgan continued: "Watching the video really upset me. As a first time mother it was very distressing. I think there needs to be some debate
about this policy for first offenders. I think it is wrong, especially in a case like this. It needs to be discussed.” Zaid's sister, Zarah, said: "My brother was preparing to take
my three-month-old niece for their daily walk when a man appeared from behind a car and approached him. He instructed my brother to place the baby down. My brother clarified that he was not
putting the baby down but rather taking her inside to her mother. "He began to punch my brother’s head repeatedly while he held his baby, just a few centimetres away from her head.
This could have resulted in serious injury. Fortunately, someone was in the house to intervene, allowing my brother to safely take his niece inside. "The police were promptly called,
and the man was taken into custody within 24 hours. However, he was later released and required to send a letter of apology to my brother and his partner. This was due to him being a
first-time offender." She added: "The lack of appropriate action has left my niece traumatised, and she has been crying non-stop since the incident. Her mother is shaken, and her
father has sustained physical assault, including lumps and bruises on his head." GMP confirmed that initially the family of the victim had been told the matter had been resolved by way
of the attacker being ordered to write letters of apology as part of a conditional caution. But a force spokesperson said: “A resolution for this case has not been finalised and
investigations are still ongoing. A full review of the evidence will take place by a supervisor and a criminal justice outcome will then be decided. Article continues below “This decision
will be made with the views of the victim fully understood, with an officer reaching out to speak with them today to ensure this position is clear. The suspect is currently on police bail
and is to return to us in July.”