AN appeal against a seven-month jail sentence was dismissed by the High Court in Labasa last week.
Justice Paul Madigan told Semisi Botaki, a vice principal of a secondary school, the appeal had no merit and the original sentence would not be interfered with.
In his judgment, Justice Madigan said Botaki entered a plea of guilty to one charge of assault.
"He was initially sentenced to seven months imprisonment and now appeals that the sentence was harsh and excessive and also there was too much emphasis on public deterrence," Justice Madigan said.
On July 9, Botaki was drinking beer with a neighbour while his wife was at home with their two children. After some time, he went home and requested money from his wife he had given her earlier that day.
Botaki got angry, took an iron rod and threw it at his wife's head when she said she had used it to buy food and other items for the family. Botaki then pulled out a drawer and hit his wife on the head.
The woman was later taken to hospital for medical examination.